Guidelines to promote best practices in injection technique for diabetes patients and healthcare professionals have been launched in Hyderabad.

The forum for injection techniques (FIT) in association with BD (Becton, Dickinsion and company) has launched guidelines on injection techniques for insulin injection for diabetes care. These guidelines are the first Indian clinical recommendations for best practices in insulin injection techniques. So far, no recommendations or consensus statements have addressed such issues prevailing in developing countries such as India.

A scientific advisory board of well-known endocrinologists and diabetes experts led the FIT India guidelines based on a combination of clinical evidence, the implications for patient therapy and the judgment of the group of experts. Although insulin therapy is accepted as one of the most effective and dependable treatment options in management of diabetes, there are several barriers to its usage among type 2 diabetes cases particularly acceptance of insulin therapy.

Dr Sanjay Kalra, Department of Endocrinology, Bharti Hospital, Karnal and chief author of the recommendations (member, FIT India Advisory Board) said, “These guidelines emphasize the need for appropriate injection technique that is crucial for the success of insulin therapy.”

Traditionally, there has been a psychological resistance to initiation of insulin therapy in India. Insulin is the main injectable therapy used by people with diabetes and is designed using high levels of technology to finely tune its peak and duration of action which is precisely timed. However, if the technique used for injection is flawed, the way in which the insulin works and will affect the patient’s glycemic control is directly impacted.

Manoj Gopalakrishna, managing director, BD India said, “Insulin treatment is the most effective method for blood glucose control, but inappropriate injection techniques can compromise the effectiveness of insulin therapy. The FIT insulin injection guidelines are a timely initiative in India which will bring great benefit to patients and will help us to continue improving patients’ experience with insulin injection.”