Treating people with Type 2 diabetes with a new once-a-week injectable insulin therapy proved to be safe and as effective as daily insulin injections, according to the results of two international clinical trials published online on April 19, 2021 in Diabetes Care. The studies suggest that the once-weekly treatment could provide a convenient alternative to the burden of daily insulin shots for diabetes patients.Starting and maintaining insulin treatment remain a challenge for millions of patients worldwide with Type 2 diabetes. Fear of injections and the inconvenience and burden of injectable therapy contribute to the barriers against insulin therapy initiation and adherence. The effectiveness and safety of ongoing insulin treatment are also highly dependent on other factors, such as the accuracy of dosages, timing, and glycemic targets. Health care providers believe that reducing the frequency of treatment administration with advances, such as the once-weekly insulin used in these phase 2 trials, may decrease the reluctance to initiate insulin therapy while improving long-term adherence, glucose control, and ultimately, patient well-being. “Insulin, which has been the foundation of diabetes treatment for 100 years, is an effective glucose-lowering agent and is safe when used at the correct dose,” says Ildiko Lingvay (photo), MD, MPH, a Professor of Internal Medicine and Population and Data Sciences at the University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW). “Insulin treatment is burdensome, requires frequent injections, and continues to carry a certain stigma. The development of an effective and safe insulin that can be administered once a week is a huge advance in the field.”Login Or Register To Read Full Story