Discontinuation notice reissued for Levemir

A discontinuation notice for Levemir products has been reissued because a significant number of patients continue to use them.

On 14 August 2025, a medicines safety notice was issued by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) 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 drug manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, subsequently announced it would withdraw all forms of Levemir insulin by the end of 2026, and stock exhaustion in the UK is expected by December 2026.

Levemir is a long-acting analogue insulin, or basal insulin, which provides up to 24 hours of basal insulin. It can be used by anybody over the age of one.

Healthcare professionals are reminded to switch patients on Levemir to a suitable alternative as soon as possible.

In August, the Primary Care Diabetes and Obesity Society and the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists issued guidance on ‘selecting and safely initiating alternative basal insulins’ in preparation for the discontinuation of Levemir.

Furthermore, NHS England advises that ICBs should aim to have all switches completed by September 2026.

Focus should be given to high-risk groups such as those with impaired hypoglycaemia awareness, a history of severe hypoglycaemia, old age and frailty, renal impairment, or high glucose variability.

A full list can be found in the guidelines which have been sent to all pharmacy NHS email addresses.

The clinical guidelines outline alternative insulin options such as insulin glargine 100units/ml, insulin glargine 300units/ml, insulin degludec, and human isophane insulin 100units/ml.

When switching between insulins, there can be differences between absorption, potency, and action profile, therefore prescribers are advised to ‘consider reducing doses by 10-20% to avoid the initial risk of hypoglycaemia’, the guidance says.

It also contains information about how to use the insulin alternatives, and links to guidelines for healthcare professionals.

Novo Nordisk informed the DHSC in September 2024 of their decision to discontinue production of Levemir. This was a global decision by the pharmaceutical company due to Levemir being considered an older insulin and declining in use globally.