Inhaled Insulin

From Det News:

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved an inhaled form of insulin, the first new way to get that hormone into the body since it was discovered in 1921 -- and a new treatment option for many of the 21 million Americans with diabetes.

The approval fulfills an arduous scientific quest that spanned most of the 20th century and spilled over to the 21st. And it marks the biggest change in diabetes treatment in decades, one that doctors hope will lure a fair slice of the American population into their offices to talk about controlling blood sugar. The product poses long-term safety questions, though, and it's not clear yet whether it will be more expensive than standard insulin.

Millions of Americans need treatment with insulin but don't get it because it involves frequent, painful needle sticks and injections. About 5 million take the hormone, but a high proportion inject themselves too few times during the day because it's so inconvenient. Doctors hope inhaled insulin will overcome some of that resistance, helping diabetics ward off a slew of medical problems that afflict those who don't control their disease.

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