People with diabetes and their families are reporting difficulties obtaining glucagon, a drug used to treat severe hypoglycemia. According to an investigation by Izvestia, complaints and problems with availability have affected at least 33 Russian regions.
The newspaper examined patient complaints and listings on pharmacy aggregation services. In a separate check of those services, available offers were found in only a few regions. These checks reflect the availability shown by the selected pharmacy platforms at a particular moment.
Glucagon is used in emergencies when a person with diabetes experiences a dangerous drop in blood glucose and cannot take carbohydrates without assistance. Having the drug at home or available to caregivers is particularly important for those at risk of severe hypoglycemic episodes. Interruptions in access create a problem that cannot be resolved simply by substituting any other pharmacy product.
Patient advocacy groups attribute the difficulties in part to changes in registration and supply arrangements, as well as accumulated demand. That is their explanation for the shortages. No comprehensive independent report from the manufacturer or Russia's Health Ministry confirming their scale and the expected restoration of supplies in every affected region was available.
Glucagon availability may differ among commercial pharmacies, subsidized medicine programs and medical facilities. Thus, the figure of at least 33 regions describes where complaints and availability problems have been identified, not complete absence of the drug from every supply channel in each of those regions.