Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve access to insulin for people who need it.

We are aware of supply issues with a limited number of insulin products, some of which are affected globally, including the discontinuation of Levemir pens and cartridges. We are working intensively with manufacturers of alternative insulin products to help mitigate these issues, including expediting deliveries where possible and ensuring there are sufficient volumes of alternative products to support the market during this time. We have issued communications to National Health Service healthcare professionals, providing comprehensive management guidance and information to allow them to support their patients as well as advise on alternative recommended insulin products. We are continuing to closely monitor the insulin market to ensure access to insulin for patients who need it.

The production of medicines is complex and highly regulated, and materials and processes must meet rigorous safety and quality standards. Medicine supply problems can occur for a number of reasons, for example due to manufacturing difficulties, regulatory problems, problems with the supply of raw materials, sudden demand spikes, or from issues which are related to the distribution of the product.

While we can’t always prevent supply issues from occurring, we have a range of well-established processes and tools to manage them when they arise, to mitigate risks to patients. These include close and regular engagement with suppliers, use of alternative strengths or forms of a medicine to allow patients to remain on the same product, expediting regulatory procedures, adding products to the restricted exports and hoarding list, and issuing NHS communications to provide management advice and information on the issue to healthcare professionals including general practitioners and pharmacists, so they can advise and support their patients.