Apidra shortage

So apparently I have to switch back to Novo due to a shortage of Apidra. I was just wondering whether this was a UK thing or happening across the world?

I haven't been able to get hold of any for a couple of months, been making do with small stockpile but they've said now that there will not be any until after Christmas. So back to Novolog it is, and I guess I'm back to not eating cereal...

 

I had heard that it was a shortage of Apidra penfills but that vials were not affected?

 

Hmmm. I usually fill my cartridges with penfills because I'm weird and find I get less bubbles that way but I think my diabetes nurse thinks I use vials, and she was who told me I would have to switch back to Novorapid. I'll have to check it out; thanks.

 

It was our CDE who told me we'd have no problems with access to Apidra when we started pumping in October because we were using vials, not penfills.

Hope you get it sorted out.

 

I hope you're right. Switching back wouldn't be terrible - I'm not sure that my BGs are any better with Apidra than Novorapid - but Apidra does allow me to eat slightly more flexibly which is nice. I'll call the pharmacy tomorrow with questions.

 

Emma, here's a link to the Sanofi UK site. At the bottom is a pdf detailing Apidra Availability as of November.

http://www.sanofi.co.uk/l/gb/en/lay...7F&strSelectView=CONTENT-NORMAL&strPageView=2

 

I was at our family doctor for an appointment and I heard a pharmaceutical rep telling the staff that there will be a shortage for about a year. Vials are not supposed to be a problem. The rep was offering vochurers to cover the cost of co-pays for vials for anyone on apidra. The rep said it was a manufacturing equipment problem.

 

Excellent! Thank you! There aren't many pumpers in my neck of the woods, and I think the others might all be on Novorapid so it would make sense that she didn't know the vials were still available. I'll just change what I order at the pharmacy, then, and it should all be fine.

 

From my understanding the "shortage" only effected the solostar pens here in the US.... maybe supply is different in the UK?

 

Here in Estonia Sanofi also told that only prefilled Solostar pens supply is affected. Many people were switching to refillable pens causing small shortage in penfill cartriges because pharmacies didn`t have them in stock. I just checked from web and almost all the pharmacies here have penfills in stock again.

 

The makers of Apidra sent out a letter that pens would not available and they were making vials free.