Novo Nordisk’s recent move to discontinue its hit insulin pens in India has raised alarm. The company plans to turn its attention to newer, more lucrative medicines such as Ozempic and Wegovy. Although these diabetes and weight-loss blockbusters are booming worldwide, the action may leave Indian diabetics in the lurch.
With Human Mixtard pens disappearing from the market, patients may have to switch back to vials and syringes. This development signals a deeper issue — the global pharma tilt towards profit-heavy treatments over affordable, lifesaving drugs.
Novo Nordisk Halts Human Mixtard Pens
Novo Nordisk will discontinue selling its market-leading insulin brand, Human Mixtard, in pen in India. The drug, worth ₹800 crore, controls the Indian insulin market. The company has reportedly advised Abbott India that products such as Actrapid, Insulatard, Detemir, Levemir, and Xultophy will also be withdrawn from Penfill and FlexPen presentations once the existing stocks exhaust — probably over six months.
But the company will still make the drugs available in vials. Although ubiquitous in the past, vials today seem old-fashioned to many consumers.
Why Is the Shift Occurring Now?
Novo Nordisk has been clear about its plans. It is determined to prioritize newer, patented medicines like Ozempic and Wegovy — both administered through injection pens. These medicines have made the company the most valuable company in Europe, valued at over $572 billion.
India might witness these anti-obesity drugs reach the shelves by 2025. The development comes in the wake of competitor Eli Lilly receiving approval to introduce Mounjaro, another GLP-1 agonist, into India. Novo Nordisk dismisses overlapping pen production of insulin and newer medications — but critics spot an unmistakable pattern.
Double Standard in Diabetes Care
The transition raises significant access concerns in low- and middle-income countries. In richer countries such as the US, individuals use modern analogue insulin — more efficient and convenient. In India, human insulin is still the norm due to cost considerations. But disposable pens are more convenient and accurate to use.
A survey by MSF and T1International concluded that 82% of those with type 1 diabetes favor pens rather than syringes. Novo Nordisk now, however, is withdrawing from poorer markets’ pens but holding on to analogue insulin pens in wealthy countries.
Global Criticism and Patient Protests
The decision has already sparked backlash. In South Africa, patients had to change to vials. Lecritia Roberts, 31, told the Guardian of her frustration: “They don’t understand how much harder they are making our lives.”
In Johannesburg, hundreds of protesters marched outside Novo Nordisk’s headquarters. MSF characterized the move as an outright case of “profiteering on a lifesaving medicine.” Advocacy adviser Candice Sehoma faulted the company for making it easier for weight-loss patients in wealthy nations, but harder for diabetics in poor ones.
Risky Trade-Off in India’s Healthcare
India’s health system is now under a shadow question — will access to life-saving insulin be sacrificed for the entry of costly, patent-protected drugs? While Novo Nordisk negotiates with South African authorities to ensure continuity of supply, no such announcement has yet been made in India.
The firm’s move into blockbuster medicines could increase its earnings. But it could drive vulnerable patients with diabetes into riskier and less accessible products, setting back decades of gains in insulin availability.
