A Message from the President of Novo Nordisk Inc.

You may have seen news reports about a possible safety concern with certain insulin analogs. Levemir® (insulin detemir [rDNA origin] injection) was not included in the studies mentioned in the news reports.

On July 1, 2009 FDA issued a statement

...Based on the currently available data, the FDA recommends that patients should not stop taking their insulin therapy without consulting a physician, since uncontrolled blood sugar levels can have both immediate and long-term serious adverse effects. Patients should also contact their healthcare professional if they have concerns about the medicines they are taking...

Patient safety is very important to Novo Nordisk. We value your trust and confidence in our products and company. As a world leader in diabetes care, Novo Nordisk has been making insulin for more than 86 years. Our prescription insulin analogs—Levemir®, NovoLog® Mix 70/30 (70% insulin aspart protamine suspension and 30% insulin aspart injection, [rDNA origin]) and NovoLog® (insulin aspart [rDNA origin] injection)—have been studied for more than 20 years. We also continue to monitor all of our products available.

I, too, have diabetes and I take Levemir® everyday and I felt that this information was important to share with you.

If you are confused by any information you are hearing, please talk to your doctor. Please do not stop or make changes in your medicine without talking to your doctor first. If you have any questions about Novo Nordisk insulin products, call your doctor or our Customer Care Center at 1-800-727-6500.

Thank you for your continued trust in Novo Nordisk,

Jerzy Gruhn
President
Novo Nordisk Inc.

The health information contained herein is provided for general educational purposes only. Your healthcare professional is the single best source of information regarding your health. Please consult your healthcare professional if you have any questions about your health or treatment. Talk to your doctor about the importance of diet and exercise in your treatment plan.

Novo Nordisk provides product assistance for those who qualify. Please call 866-310-7549 to learn more about Novo Nordisk assistance programs (as appropriate).

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.  Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Levemir® and NovoLog® are registered trademarks of Novo Nordisk A/S.