Question:
I understand there are companies that manufacture internal medication
pumps. I've talked to people at these companies about using the pumps to
provide insulin to diabetics. They've said that the problem is that insulin
cannot be stored at body temperature. Are any drug companies working on an
insulin that could be stored at body temperature to be used with internal
pumps?
Answer:
Yes. MiniMed, for one, has been doing
clinical trials for the past few years, using an insulin pump that's buried beneath
the skin layer. It is refilled monthly using very concentrated insulin. I
don't know that they've had any problem at all with the insulin, although
I'm aware that the U.S. FDA has requested that they thoroughly evaluate the
insulin as well as the pump.
WWQ
Original posting 13 Aug 96