The ability to correctly self-administer doses of insulin is crucial to the long-term health of many people with diabetes. Insulin is a hormone necessary to process glucose (blood sugar), the body’s main source of energy.

All people with type 1 diabetes, and some with type 2 diabetes or other forms of diabetes, require insulin therapy. For many years, patients only had one method of insulin delivery – a syringe with a needle injected under the skin. This remains the chief form of insulin delivery in use today.

However, several alternatives to the needle and syringe have emerged, including:

• Insulin pumps
  
• Insulin pens
• A pod-like device that adheres to the skin
• Insulin jet injectors
• Implantable insulin pumps

Inhaled insulin powder became available in 2006, but, citing poor sales, the company that marketed the drug announced after little more than a year that it would stop selling it. Other forms of inhaled insulin are under development, and additional methods being investigated include insulin patches and pills.

People who take insulin should discuss the various delivery options with their physician. Not every method is an option for every individual. Once a method of insulin administration has been selected, a physician can provide crucial advice about how best to self-administer the medication.