The Australian Diabetes Society (ADS) Council has echoed its European counterpart's call for urgent research into a possible link between insulin drug Lantus and cancer.
Last month, the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) highlighted the need for large epidemiological studies to clarify the connection between Lantus (insulin glargine) use and cancer, in particular breast cancer, in an editorial accompanying four studies published in its journal Diabetologia.
In a position statement released today, the ADS said it agreed with the points made in the editorial and that Australian patients with diabetes currently taking Lantus should continue to do so, although "some might wish to consider alternative types of insulin", in particular those with a known current cancer or those with a family history of breast cancer.
"While the ADS does not consider that the current evidence allows a definitive recommendation on the use of insulin glargine in relation to cancer risk or presence, it is prudent practice to advise alternative management if after discussion a patient has ongoing concern," the statement said.
Lantus manufacturer Sanofi-Aventis has defended its drug, saying that data from a retrospective follow-up of the four patient registries "clearly showed that no definitive conclusions can be drawn regarding a possible causal relationship between Lantus use and the occurrence of malignancies".