(Credit: Marius Vassnes) Picture of a insulin pen.
A new drug by Novo Nordisk could help change the lives of those suffering from either type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Awiqli is a long-acting basal insulin that only needs to be injected once a week to help control blood sugar levels for those who require insulin.
“I take insulin every evening. So I don’t have to take it like I would if I had type 1 diabetes, which then you would have to take it every time you eat,” Andrew Dow is a London man who has type 2 diabetes. He uses insulin to keep it under control. “So I only have to take it once a day, but if I had the convenience of only having to take it once a week, that would actually be a lot nicer because certainly injecting yourself even once a day is not the greatest, right?”
Dow is also hopeful for the future of treating diabetes.
“The advancements they’ve made are pretty incredible. A lot of work is being done in the field that’s definitely making changes.”
Earlier this year, bill C-64 passed parliament to help fund diabetes medicine by giving universal access to those who need it.
“Yeah, that’s always the issue. Right? The new advances are great. But if they’re too expensive for people, it’s not as helpful as it could be.”
The government of Canada says 3.7 million Canadians, about 10 per cent, currently live with diabetes.
To learn more about diabetes, you can visit the Diabetes Canada website.
