Insulin is one of the only two protein-hormone (the other being growth hormone) made by the pancreas. Insulin helps keeps our blood sugar level from getting too high (hyperglycemia) or too low (hypoglycemia).

However if one has diabetes (a group diseases that result in too much sugar in the blood, or high blood glucose) insulin is introduced in the body  by injection or a pump. Insulin currently cannot be taken by mouth because the digestive juices in our stomach and intestine break  it down before it gets  into our blood stream .

 Till recently Insulin was only an 'in vivo' drug .It  was taken from the pancreases of animals, usually pigs (porcine or pork insulin) and cows (bovine or beef insulin).

Technology developed, and in 1963 it was chemically synthesized in the laboratory. And  in late 70's insulin was made 'in vitro'. Living microorganisms were genetically modified with a human gene in order to produce insulin for our use.

At present There are three types of insulin:

• ·       Natural animal insulins – derived from pancreases of pigs,cattle
• ·       Synthetic ‘human’ insulins – made in a laboratory.
• ·     GM human Insulin- made by genetically modifying bacteria or yeast to produce a perfect copy of human insulin.

 In India, it's still made from the cows or the pigs. Logic is given that we still need bovine insulin(in spite of the known cases of allergies, skin rashes & other problems)  as the poorest of the poor cannot afford costlier insulin despite its merits.  We demand that in India the only perfect copy of human insulin  must be made and be   available/ accepted by the diabetic patients.

 Join our petition!