Pakistan is experiencing a shortage of the insulin brand Apidra because a German manufacturer suspended production to perform upgrades. Nelson Azeem, Parliamentary Secretary for Health, stated that the shortage began in October after the product remained available in Pakistan until September.
The manufacturer previously supplied 3,500 kits, but that number dropped to 1,000. Azeem noted that supplies could decline further during the company’s year-long upgrade process.
The disruption is affecting several regions, including Asia, Australia, and Europe. The health ministry has asked distributors to arrange additional supplies.
Syeda Amna Batool claimed that alternative insulin products were at least 20% more expensive. Authorities clarified that Pakistan is not facing a nationwide insulin shortage, as the issue is limited to insulin glulisine (Apidra) manufactured by Sanofi.
Batool stated that around 34.5 million people in Pakistan have Type 1 diabetes, including children. In August 2025, the Pakistan Medical Association raised alarm over “an unprecedented” and severe shortage of essential medicines, noting at least 80 important medicines were unavailable.
Of those missing medicines, 25 had no substitutes.
