Ongoing efforts to improve the management of patients with diabetes in Bangladesh and the implications

Figures & data

Table 1. Current long-acting insulin prescribing patterns among target hospitals in Bangladesh

Name of Hospital	% long-acting insulins vs. other insulins	% insulin glargine vs other total long-acting insulin analogues	% insulin glargine among different presentations
			Originator	Biosimilar (various)
Chittagong Medical College – Public	20–30%	70–80%	30%	70%
Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College – Public	45–50%	70–80%	50–60%	40–50%
Bangabandhu Sheik Mujib Medical University – Public	10–15%	20–30%	60–70%	30–40%
BIRDEM – Private Teaching Hospital	20–25%	50–60%	60%	40%
Chattogram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital Medical College – Private	15–20%	70–90%	2%	98%

NB: % refer to actual prescribing rates within each of the three categories’

Table 2. Details of pharmacies and drugs stored contacted and provided data in Bangladesh

Surveyed Groups	Number contacted	Number agreeing to take part	Response Rate in Percentage (%)	District of Bangladesh
First Group	150	82	54.7	Dhaka, Rajshahi
Second Group	65	58	89.2	Dhaka, Cumilla
Third Group	40	15	37.5	Dhaka, Cumilla
Fourth Group	15	12	80.0	Dhaka, Kurigram

NB: The % response rate refers to the number of pharmacists and drug store owners approached who agreed to take part

Figure 1. Dispensing patterns of different insulins among drug stores and pharmacies in Bangladesh 2019 and 2020

NB: 2020 is up to early December 2020. Analogues are principally long-acting insulin analogues with other insulins incorporating the remaining insulins dispensed in 2019 and 2020

Figure 2. Dispensing patterns of different insulin glargine preparations among 79 of the 82 Pharmacies and Drug Stores 2019 and 2020

NB: 2020 includes data up to early December 2020

Table 3. Typical selling prices for different insulin glargine preparations among 85 pharmacies and drug stores in Bangladesh

Manufacturer	Packs (insulin glargine)	Selling price in the pharmacy (local currency and US$)
Lantus® (Sanofi-Aventis)	100IU/ml 3 ml Pen; 5 × 3 ml Pen	1220 BDT (US$14.40); 6100 BDT (US$72.00)
Lantus® (Sanofi-Aventis)	100IU/ml – 3 ml Cartridge; 5 × 3 ml Cartridge	785 BDT (US$9.26); 3925 BDT (US$ 46.31)
Abasaglar® (Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Ltd)	100IU/ml – 3 ml Pen	1085 BDT (US$12.80)
Abasaglar® (Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Ltd)	100IU/ml – 3 ml cartridge, 100IU/ml – 5 × 3 ml cartridges	723 BDT (US$8,53) to 3617 BDT (US$42.68)
Glarine® – ACI Limited	100IU/ml – 3 ml Vial; 100IU/ml – 3 ml Pen	600 BDT (US$7.08); 950 BDT (US$11.21)
Glarine® – ACI Limited	3 x 5 ml Pens	4750 BDT (US$56.05)
Insul® Glargine (Popular Pharma Ltd), Insulet GN® (Aristo Pharma Limited), Larsulin® (Square Pharmaceuticals), Vibrenta® (Incepta Pharma)	100IU/ml – 3 ml Vial	600 BDT(US$7.08)
Larsulin® (Square Pharmaceuticals)	100IU/ml – 3ml Vial – Pen Cartridge	600 BDT(US$7.08)
Vibrenta® (Incepta Pharma)	100IU/Ml – 3ml – PenSet	600 BDT(US$7.08)

Table 4. Prices of typical foods in Bangladesh (Source: M Haque personal communication)

Food Name	Stores (various in BDT and US$)
Potato per Kilogram	25–40 (US$0.30–0.47)
Rice Coarse per Kilogram	50 (US$0.59)
Red Lentil per Kilogram	110–130 (US$1.30–1.54)
Egg per Dozen	100–170 (US$1.18–2.0)
Fish (Farm Fish) per Kilogram	150–200 (US$1.77–2.36)
Chicken (Fresh) per Kilogram	250–300 (US$2.95–3.54)
Cooking Oil (Soyabean) 5 Liter Bottle	650–700 ($7.68–8.27)
Mutton (Fresh) per Kilogram	750–800 (US$8.86–9.45)