The drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk has announced it will withdraw Levemir insulin in all forms by the end of 2026. Here, we look at what this means for people with diabetes who are affected, and what happens next.
What is Levemir?
Levemir is a long-acting analogue insulin, also known as a basal insulin. Anybody aged 1 and over can take Levemir, which provides up to 24 hours of basal insulin. It can be injected once or twice a day.
Guidance is now in place for moving to a new insulin
A Medicines Safety Notice (MSN) was issued on 14 August 2025 for the withdrawal of:
- Levemir FlexPen 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled pens
- Levemir Penfill 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml cartridges.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) previously issued an MSN on 16 June 2025 for Levemir, asking that healthcare professionals do not start anyone on a new prescription for Levemir.
The DHSC has now issued a new MSN which contains information about the discontinuation and links to detailed guidelines for healthcare professionals about what insulin alternatives will be available, and how to use them in different types of diabetes.
Why is Levemir being discontinued?
Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company that makes Levemir, informed the DHSC in September 2024 of their decision to discontinue production of Levemir.
This was a global decision by Novo Nordisk due to Levemir being considered an older insulin and declining in use globally.
Who will be affected by this?
Anyone living with any type of diabetes who is currently taking Levemir will be affected. If you take Levemir, you will need to move to another basal insulin before the end of 2026.
When will supplies of Levemir run out?
Novo Nordisk has already begun the process of discontinuing Levemir, with supplies expected to run out by December 2026 in the UK.
Novo Nordisk says it will continue to provide supplies of Levemir until stocks run out. The withdrawal of these products will apply worldwide.
There is no benefit in stockpiling the Levemir you are currently using. This could lead to shortages while the insulin is still available and won’t prevent you from needing to change insulin eventually.
What do I need to do now?
You do not need to contact your healthcare provider at this stage to discuss your Levemir medication.
If you take Levemir, you should be contacted within the next 12 months by your healthcare provider.
Don’t worry if you’re taking Levemir and your diabetes team hasn’t contacted you yet, there will be time to make this switch as Levemir won’t be out of stock until the end of 2026.
Your local health team will need time to plan the services they need to review and change everyone affected to an alternative insulin.
Then there will be the time needed to make the changes with every person currently taking Levemir. It’s possible that this could be done in groups instead of individual appointments.
If you are taking Levemir, we recommend that:
- You wait to be contacted by your healthcare provider about switching to a suitable alternative. This is to ensure teams have the time to plan a smooth transition for everyone affected.
- Ask your diabetes team or GP at your next routine diabetes appointment about the insulin that will be suitable for you and when you should have your prescription changed.
- If you are on a Patient-Initiated Follow-Up, also know as a PIFU, please contact your diabetes team. This pathway type is often used in people who are self-managing on insulin pump therapy and use Levemir as a back-up insulin.
- If you and your GP are unsure of which insulin might work best for you, you should be referred to the diabetes team at your local hospital, so ask your GP about this.
- Look out for any letters or messages from your healthcare provider via email, text or app, with information about how they are managing the Levemir changes locally, and when you should make an appointment for your change.
What are the alternative insulins?
As there are no other insulins that are the same as Levemir, all the different types of long-acting or background insulin must be considered. The choice of insulin and what works best for you will depend on your individual circumstances.
Healthcare providers have been encouraged to prescribe insulins from all the available choices (see below) to help minimise disruption to the supply chain.
There might also be local guidance, and local health boards may make different decisions about which alternative insulins to offer locally. This could mean that not all of the possible insulin alternatives will be available in every area.
You should talk to your healthcare provider about which alternative would be best for you, and if you have any concerns about how well your insulin is working for you after the change, discuss your concerns with your healthcare provider.
You may end up on a different strength insulin to Levemir, which means the amount of liquid that you need to inject is 2 or 3 times smaller, but the insulin dose will be the same. This will be indicated by insulins that are 200 units/ml or 300 units/ml.
The alternative insulins being recommended are:
Insulin Glargine 100units/ml – There are several forms of this insulin available which are:
- Abasaglar 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml cartridges
- Abasaglar KwikPen 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled pens
- Lantus 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml cartridges
- Lantus 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled SoloStar pens
- Semglee 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled pens
Insulin Glargine 300 units/ml – This is a triple strength insulin.
- Toujeo 300units/ml solution for injection 1.5ml pre-filled SoloStar pens
- Toujeo 300units/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled DoubleStar pens
Human Isophane Insulin 100units/ml
- Humulin I 100units/ml suspension for injection 3ml cartridges
- Humulin I KwikPen 100units/ml suspension for injection 3ml pre-filled pens
Insulin Degludec
- Tresiba FlexTouch 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled pens. There is a shortage of these pens at the moment, visit out page on insulin supplies for more information.
- Tresiba Penfill 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml cartridges
- Tresiba FlexTouch 200units/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled pens - this is a double strength insulin.
In some people, Levemir may last for a shorter duration so you may take it twice a day. The alternative insulins listed usually last longer so you may only need to take these once a day. You can discuss this with your healthcare provider.
What will happen when I change insulin?
When switching between insulins, your healthcare provider is likely to reduce your new doses by 10-20% to reduce the risk of low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycaemia. Your dose will likely then be increased depending on how your blood sugar levels respond to the insulin.
As part of learning to use your new insulin, your healthcare provider might want to assess your new injection technique and to check your injection sites.
It will be important that you have an appointment with a diabetes healthcare professional to review your current diabetes management and decide together on the best background insulin for you.
Your healthcare provider should also review your response to your new insulin at 2-3 weeks and help with adjusting your dose if necessary.
We know that changing insulin may feel overwhelming and you might have questions. Our helpline is here if you want to chat things through. You can email our helpline or call them on 0345 123 2399.
Changing to a new insulin pen device
Changing insulin may mean you also need to use a different insulin pen device.
If you are switched to another injection pen you have not used before, make sure your healthcare professional has shown you the new pen and you know how to use it. Ask your healthcare professional to check your prescription so you have all the equipment you need to start using your new pen.
They should also discuss with you what insulin doses you should be taking and ask you to monitor your blood sugar levels more closely when you make this change.
If you have any concerns after starting your new pen speak to your healthcare provider.
What have we said about this?
When we were made aware of the decision to withdraw Levemir we expressed our concerns to Novo Nordisk, and are disappointed by this decision.
Since being made aware of this decision, we have been proactive in engaging officials at the DHSC on this issue as well as the manufacturers, and NHS England, to address the challenges that this discontinuation poses.
We are continuing to work with all parties, including NHS England and clinical leaders in the other UK nations to ensure a smooth transition for everyone affected.
More information and support on Novo Nordisk insulin withdrawals
If you have any questions about these insulin withdrawals you can speak to your healthcare team, or you can contact Novo Nordisk.
Patients and Members of the Public Information Request Form
You can also ring our helpline with any questions or concerns on 0345 123 2399.
