In an attempt to alleviate fear and increase awareness among people, the Forum for Injection Techniques (IFT), India, and Bangalore Diabetes Club jointly launched the first Indian recommendations for best practices in Insulin Injection Technique.

The booklet containing evidence-based information on best practices on injection techniques was released by Dr C Munichoodappa, consultant diabetologist, Bangalore Diabetes Hospital; Dr K M Prasanna Kumar, endocrinologist and diabetologist, Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Care (CDEC); and Dr Syed Javaz, diabetologist and trustee of Bangalore Diabetes Hospital.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Munichoodappa explained that patients can inject insulin at specific places in their bodies. "The ideal place to inject insulin would be in the abdominal wall or in the hips or thighs. However, some patients tend to inject insulin in their legs and hands, which is not very advisable," he added.

He also mentioned that continuously injecting insulin in the same area would bolster fat accumulation resulting in poor absorption of insulin.

Generally, patients show more aversion towards injectable insulin and tend to depend on insulin tablets alone. However after a few years, the pancreas, which produces the body insulin, becomes weaker and weaker and may not respond to the tablets.

"Ultimately, patients need to accept the existing injectable insulin. They consider it to be a difficult and painful process saying that they are too old or too sick to take it," said Dr Munichoodappa.

Dr Prasanna Kumar believes that knowledge of insulin injection need to be spread to the common man. "This message has to be disseminated to families, doctors, nurses, diabetes educators and patients. They should know how to advice patients, thereby facilitating them to take the insulin injection. It is less painful than a mosquito bite," opined Dr Kumar.

He further said that there is a lot of misconceptions about insulin. He said, "Taking insulin is not a bad thing. Insulin maybe much better than other medicines which we prescribe. Many people think that insulin is costly and tablets are cheaper. However, insulin is much cheaper and far better."

Diabetes is no longer rich people's disease. He expressed, "People in slums and villages have diabetes today because of the change in lifestyle and decreasing physical activity. Diabetes in children, elderly and pregnant women is increasing."

 Dr Kumar advised patients with diabetes to have a disciplined diet, regular exercise and medications, and check the blood sugar level often. "If not, it is a fatalistic attitude," he concluded.