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The History of Insulin Pens

Diabetes has been one of the most common conditions in the world for millenniums, but effective treatment was not discovered until nearly a century ago. There are now many different types of insulin, and people use insulin pens themselves as opposed to frequently visiting the doctor.

  1. Time Frame

    • While diabetes was first described in the first century AD, insulin was discovered in 1921 and used as treatment for the first time in 1922.

    Who

    • An unsuccessful orthopedic surgeon named Frederick Banting was convinced he could fine an anti-diabetic after he read about the relationship of the pancreas to diabetes.

    First Use

    • A young boy became the first human patient to receive insulin made by Banting on Jan. 11, 1922.

    Failures

    • The initial injections of insulin in humans failed to produce successful results, but more purified injections were soon given and patients' blood glucose levels began to drop.

    Significance

    • News spread quickly around the world, and by 1923, insulin and injection methods were commercially produced.

    Types

    • Throughout its history, many different types of insulin were developed, including regular, NPH, Lente, Ultralente, and Humalog.

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