Canadian diabetes patients wait on exubera

Exubera, the diabetes ‘mega-drug’ that cracks the holy grail of the disease (insulin able to be inhaled) is being awaited eagerly in Canada, and many diabetics are apparently not happy about the delay.
Health officials in America gave the first inhaled insulin system the green light in January, allowing countless insulin-injecting diabetics a new quality of life. Patients in Canada, where the drug is yet to be approved, are hungry to be granted the same access. Marc Aras of diabetes Quebec reportedly said: “we’re waiting for it impatiently. We’ve had many calls from people who would really like to have it. It would simplify many lives.” Yet Aras also added that American approval does not lead to instant approval in Canada, a process that can take up to 2 years.
Fear of injections and needles can cause a major barrier to diabetes treatment, and lead to irregular and ineffective treatment regimens. Exubera is not without its own problems, however. It causes slight decline in pulmonary function due to the powder being delivered to the lunges. The product has not yet been tested or approved for use with children .
Experts in Canada were quick to highlight the fact that exubera is not a cure, and weight loss, good diet and exercise remained a priority.