A Pakistani doctor creates the nation’s first insulin patch for diabetic patients

A crew of doctors, engineers, and information scientists from Peshawar has invented a painless insulin delivery tool with the use of transdermal patches.

A crew led through Dr. Talha Durrani from Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), created the country`s first insulin patches for diabetic patients. According to details, the prototype of the tool has exceeded preliminary bench trying out and is presently in process of further pilot laboratory tests.

If the device is mass-produced it has the potential to replace traditional injections/pens used to inject insulin into the body of a diabetic patient. The pain associated with daily insulin injection treatment leads to a lower quality of life and treatment non-compliance, particularly in children.

Even though the device is still in the testing phase, it has already generated interest from a few international investors. A recent independent survey revealed that every 5th Pakistani suffers from diabetes.

About The Team

Prof. Dennis Douroumis from England led the team, along with Dr. Anam Abid, a Mechatronics Engineer who investigated more child-friendly and cost-effective solutions, while Dr. Mian Ayaz ul Haq, a UK-based Consultant Neurologist, served as a mentor to the team, providing oversight and guidance throughout the project.

Prof. Dennis, Professor of Process Engineering and Director of CIPER at the University of Greenwich in London, told a blog website exclusively, “Our aim is to develop medical devices and dosage forms that are friendly to children and improve medication adherence.”

Dr. Anam, Mechatronics Engineering Lecturer at the University of Engineering and Technology in Peshawar, added:

“Only a handful of patients in the country can afford the less-invasive treatments available in some advanced countries. Therefore, we have developed an effective treatment that will be within reach of an average person once mass-produced.”

According to Dr. Talha, a resident physician at Khyber Teaching Hospital in Peshawar:

“No one person can innovate on their own. It’s a team game and involves field specialists with vastly different experiences to solve a single problem. I hope our work encourages doctors, engineers, business administrators, and investors to come together at one table and explore ideas for such projects.”