Pakistan says insulin crisis is limited to one unavailable brand

Health authorities say Apidra insulin is temporarily unavailable because of international supply constraints, while alternative rapid-acting products and other insulin classes remain accessible nationwide.

Pakistan’s health ministry and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan have pushed back against reports of a nationwide insulin shortage, saying the problem is confined to one brand that is temporarily unavailable because of international supply constraints. According to Dawn, the clarification was issued after social media posts suggested a broader shortage across the country.

Ministry spokesperson Sajid Shah said insulin glulisine, sold as Apidra by Sanofi, is currently out of stock, but he added that other rapid-acting options in the same class are still available. “Insulin glulisine (Apidra, Sanofi) is currently unavailable due to international supply constraints. Alternate rapid-acting analogues within the same pharmacological class, specifically insulin aspart (NovoRapid, Novo Nordisk) and insulin lispro (Humalog, Eli Lilly), are readily available nationwide,” Shah said. He added that “all other primary insulin classes remain fully accessible across Pakistan”.

Shah said insulin medicines fall into two broad groups: analogues, which include rapid-acting, long-acting and premixed products, and human insulin, which includes short-acting and intermediate-acting formulations. He also urged patients who have been prescribed Apidra to speak to their doctor before switching treatment. “Any transition to an alternative insulin formulation requires precise dose titration and tailored monitoring to maintain optimal glycaemic control,” he said.

The latest denial comes against a backdrop of repeated warnings from medical groups and patients about medicine access in Pakistan. The Pakistan Medical Association said in August 2025 that the country was facing an “unprecedented” shortage of essential medicines, including many used for diabetes, cancer and neurological disorders, and warned in March 2026 that shortages of paediatric tuberculosis and cancer drugs were deepening. In earlier statements, the regulator has also rejected claims of broad medicine price rises and said most of the country’s medicines are locally produced, while separate reporting by Dawn has documented shortages at retail level, delayed price notifications and the risk that prolonged supply gaps can open the door to counterfeit and substandard products.