Novo Nordisk has decided to discontinue Levemir® Penfill® and Levemir® FlexPen® with supplies expected to be exhausted by 31 December 2026.

As there is not a like for like switch for Levemir® (insulin detemir) patients will need careful switching and additional monitoring to alternative insulin products. This discontinuation is being managed nationally with local oversight.

For NCL ICS, the NCL Diabetes Network have agreed: 

• Primary care will support with the identification of patients prescribed Levemir® and run searches and proactively contact patients ASAP. Routine appointments with diabetes specialist teams can take 6 to 9 months and all patients are expected to be switched by a diabetes specialist by September 2026.
• If the patient does not have a scheduled routine appointment before September 2026, primary care will need to refer the patient to the appropriate sector, see below. 

All switching of patients currently prescribed Levemir® will be undertaken by diabetes specialist teams, at their next routine appointment in:

• secondary care (for type 1 diabetes)
• community diabetes teams (for type 2 diabetes)
• children’s and young people diabetes clinics
• diabetes specialist teams will follow the national guidance by the Primary Care Diabetes & Obesity Society when switching patients.

Further guidance on location of searches and actions is outlined in the primary care memo.