(1081) Unmet Needs with Current Basal Insulin Therapy: Insights from US Healthcare Professionals (HCPs)

Saturday, March 23, 2024

12:30 PM – 2:30 PM East Coast USA Time

Primary (first) Author(s)

CD

Cyrus Desouza

Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA, United States

Presenting Author(s)

Daniela Fernandez, PharmD BCCCP BCPS

Diabetes Medical Liaison
Novo Nordisk, Florida, United States

Co-Author(s)

NL

Nathan Laney

Novo Nordisk Inc., Plainsboro, NJ, USA, United States
NM

Natalie McCorkle

Novo Nordisk Inc., Plainsboro, NJ, USA, United States
KS

Karen Salvesen-Sykes

Novo Nordisk Inc., Plainsboro, NJ, USA, United States

Disclosure(s):

Daniela Fernandez: Novo Nordisk: Employee (Ongoing), Shareholder (Ongoing)

Objectives: Reported challenges and unmet needs in basal insulin therapy include insulin initiation, dose titration and hypoglycemia concerns, patient adherence or compliance issues, and economic barriers. This study aimed to identify current unmet needs of daily basal insulin therapy in type 2 diabetes (T2D) among US healthcare professionals (HCPs), and potential reasons for delaying insulin initiation.

Methods: A six-question survey was completed by medical liaisons when meeting with 177 US HCPs (primary care or endocrinology), with responses collected July‒December 2022.

Results: HCPs perceived adherence concerns, injection burden and hypoglycemia as the top unmet needs with current basal insulins. A key driver for delaying insulin initiation was patient preference for a non-injectable agent. HCPs identified once-weekly insulin as valuable for decreasing injection burden while improving adherence.

Conclusions: Both HCP and patient considerations lead to clinical inertia when initiating daily insulin. These may be overcome with once-weekly insulin.