Weekly type 2 diabetes jab could replace daily injections

Hundreds of thousands of people with type 2 diabetes could gain access to a new weekly insulin jab that would replace daily injections, cutting the number of doses required each year by 86 %. Patients must still wait for the treatment to receive approval from the medicines regulator before it can be made available on the NHS. The therapy is described as working as effectively as regular insulin injections but requiring administration only once a week. Diabetes UK says the option will help individuals manage their condition more effectively, especially those with additional care needs who rely on assistance for daily injections. Around 4.7 million people in the UK were living with diabetes in 2024‑25, of whom approximately 90 % had type 2 diabetes. The condition occurs when the body cannot produce sufficient insulin, or the insulin it does produce does not function properly, a state also termed insulin resistance. Diabetes UK estimates that roughly 1 in 4 people with type 2 diabetes currently use insulin. Shifting from daily injections to a weekly jab is expected to benefit those who need help with their injections. This may include frailer individuals, people with sight loss, limited hand dexterity or learning disabilities. Others who find it difficult to follow the steps of a daily injection routine or who struggle to adhere to their treatment plan are also likely to experience assistance from the new drug. Douglas Twenefour, head of objective at Diabetes UK, said: "For some, particularly those with further care needs, moving from regular insulin injections to a once‑weekly treatment could help manage their diabetes more easily, improving their quality of life." "It's essential that everyone who could benefit is supported by their healthcare team to make informed decisions, and that this treatment helps reduce inequities in diabetes care." Helen Knight, manager of medicines valuation at Nice, said the new treatment could make a "real difference to the day‑to‑day lives of people with type 2 diabetes, particularly those who rely on a carer, family member or healthcare professional to help them inject". She added: "This recommendation is the result of rigorous, evidence‑based decision making, striking a balance between the benefits to patients and the best use of limited NHS funding." Initial support for the therapy comes from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), the body that determines which medicines and treatments should be offered on the NHS. Before type 2 diabetes patients can access the treatment via the NHS, it must be licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Health officials state they are awaiting the MHRA’s decision to determine whether the treatment can be rolled out across the NHS. Nice guidance applies to the NHS in England, though the NHS in Wales frequently adopts its recommendations. In Northern Ireland the guidance is not automatically implemented; it is reviewed by the Department of Health. In Scotland, oversight falls to the Scottish Medicines Consortium.