Insulin shortage denied: only Sanofi's Apidra unavailable, NovoRapid and Humalog in stock

The health ministry and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) say there is no general insulin shortage in Pakistan: one brand, Apidra (insulin glulisine) made by Sanofi, is out of stock because of international supply constraints, while its two direct alternatives, NovoRapid and Humalog, are available across the country. The ministry spoke on Tuesday 20 October after reports of an insulin shortage spread on social media, Dawn reported.

Ministry spokesperson Sajid Shah said insulin glulisine "is currently unavailable due to international supply constraints". Every other main insulin class remains fully accessible, according to the ministry.

What is missing and what is available

The ministry says NovoRapid and Humalog belong to the same pharmacological class as Apidra: all three are rapid-acting "mealtime" insulins, usually injected just before eating to control the rise in blood sugar after a meal.

It also set out the wider groups it says are in supply:

• Insulin analogues: rapid-acting, long-acting and premixed formulations.
• Human insulin: short-acting and intermediate-acting formulations.

If you use Apidra

The insulin shortage that worries most patients, a gap in all insulins, is not what the ministry describes. But if your prescription is for Apidra, you are affected now.

1. Do not switch on your own. The ministry advises patients prescribed Apidra to see their doctor before changing their regimen. Moving to another insulin needs careful dose adjustment and closer monitoring to keep blood glucose under control.
2. Ask about NovoRapid or Humalog. These are the two rapid-acting alternatives the ministry names. Your doctor decides the dose and timing.
3. Check your sugar more often in the first days after any change, and write the readings down for your next visit.
4. Keep your other insulin as it is. A long-acting or basal insulin taken alongside Apidra is not affected by this gap, according to the ministry's list.
5. Watch the pharmacy. If a chemist tells you NovoRapid or Humalog is also out of stock, that is worth reporting, because the ministry says both are readily available.

Why people feared a wider shortage

Medicine supply has been a recurring worry. In August 2025 the Pakistan Medical Association warned of an "unprecedented" shortage of essential medicines, saying at least 80 important drugs were unavailable, 25 of them with no substitute, including medicines for diabetes, cancer and heart disease, Dawn recalled. In March 2026 the association warned of shortages of children's tuberculosis medicines and cancer drugs.

Against that record, a social media post about one missing insulin quickly read as a national shortage. The official position on Tuesday is narrower: one brand of one class is missing, and its substitutes are on the shelves.

Where to get help

Diabetes clinics at large public hospitals can review a prescription the same day in most cities. Our directory lists hospitals in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. If a relative abroad is sending insulin pens from the Gulf or the UK, check what they cost in rupees with our currency converter, and keep the pens cool in transit.

Drap and the ministry have not said when Sanofi's Apidra will return to Pakistani pharmacies. We will update this story when they do.