|
EXUBERA® was pulled from the market in October 2007 and is no longer available.
Inhaled insulin acts much like injected rapid acting insulin analogs (NovoLog, Humalog, Apidra) and is used to cover mealtime carbohydrates. People with type 1 diabetes who use inhaled insulin must still take injections of a long acting basal insulin, such as Lantus or Detemir.
Study after study has shown that inhaled insulin works well and that study participants, with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, like inhaled insulin. While the long term effects of inhaled insulin are not known, studies to date indicate that there is little if any impact on lung function for healthy people.
Some people, particularly parents of young kids with type 1 diabetes, are quite concerned about the potential for lung damage from decades of use. We won't be able to answer these concerns until inhaled insulin has been in use for many years. In the meantime, if inhaled insulin helps people type 2 diabetes get on insulin therapy sooner than they would otherwise, it has the potential to help more people achieve better control, and that is good for all of us.
-- JSH
FDA Information
Selected Studies About Inhaled Insulin
Industry Links
|
|
The Exubera inhaler, collapsed (left) and expanded (right), with blister packs of insulin in front.
When closed, the inhaler is about the size of an eyeglass case. The inhaler weighs four ounces (about 114 grams).
Exubera logo and images from Facts About Exubera by Pfizer.
|
This site is published by Children With Diabetes, Inc, which is responsible for its contents.