Evaluation of preference for a novel durable insulin pen with memory function among patients with diabetes and health care professionals

BACKGROUND Improving adherence to insulin treatment for better glycemic control remains a challenge in the management of diabetes. New technological aids are required to help support adherence. This study evaluated preference for the NovoPen(®) 5 (NP5), a durable insulin pen with memory function, compared with the HumaPen Luxura(®) (HPL) among patients with diabetes and health care professionals. METHODS This crossover, multicenter usability study included insulin pen-experienced patients with diabetes and health care professionals treating patients with diabetes in Canada, China, and Germany. Participants evaluated NP5 and HPL in a randomized order by performing handling tasks in a usability test related to everyday use during a face-to-face interview. Tasks, pens, and preferences were assessed by completing a questionnaire comprised of rating and open-ended questions relating to confidence in everyday diabetes management. RESULTS Overall, 300 patients with diabetes and 150 health care professionals participated in the study. Significantly more participants preferred NP5 (81%) to HPL (18%) (P < 0.001). Also, 82% of patients with diabetes had more confidence in NP5 for managing their daily injections versus 11% with HPL (P < 0.001), and 7% had no preference. Memory function was most helpful in giving patients with diabetes confidence about when they last injected (63%), how much insulin they last injected (62%) and improving diabetes management (55%). Participants gave higher ratings to NP5 than to HPL on all parameters relating to performing an injection (ease of handling, satisfaction when using the pen, convenience of using the pen day-to-day, quality of the pen, and the extent to which the pen meets their needs; P < 0.05 for all comparisons). CONCLUSION NP5 was preferred to HPL by most participants. Significantly more patients with diabetes had more confidence for managing daily insulin injections when using NP5, the pen with a memory function.