New Delhi, June 04: Seeking to allay fears about the side-effects of animal insulin, experts have said that it is as safe as human insulin and does not lead to any complications. They also accused some pharmaceutical companies of spreading wrong information relating to the complications caused by the use of animal insulin.

"Majority of young diabetics in India have been using animal insulin even after human insulin was developed for economic reasons and its effectiveness," assistant professor in the department of endocrinology at AIIMS, Dr Ravinder Goswami, who carried out a study on bovine insulin therapy, said.

A significant portion of young diabetics belong to the category of malnutrition modulated diabetics. These patients use bovine insulin therapy, he said adding, "So far I have not come across any complication due to animal insulin."

Patients of insulin-dependent diabetes require insulin injections in order to control sugar levels in their blood, he said, adding, "On the basis of some isolated cases of allergy from animal insulin it can not be dumped."

"All this controversy on animal insulin has been generated due to the vested interests of some companies," he said.
Bureau Report