For Tasmanian man Daniel Webb, who lives with type 1 diabetes, fast-acting insulin Fiasp has significantly improved his quality of life.
The Deloraine man is one of the 14,000 Australians using the drug to manage his condition, which he said offered him greater control and peace of mind.
Mr Webb said that while Fiasp kicked in within five to 10 minutes, the alternative option took about 25 to 30 minutes to work.
"I love it, it's been a big game changer for me," he said.
"It prevents that spike and you stay in control for longer and you have less of those sudden rises in sugar levels."
Mr Webb has been diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy, an eye condition that can cause loss of vision and blindness, and said the drug had helped prevent complications.
"The combination of Fiasp with the insulin pump technology has improved my outlook for my eyes, and in the same note, I'm sure it'd be preventing further complications with my kidneys, with my nervous system, with all the other things that people get complications with," he said.
But Mr Webb was re-evaluating whether he could continue using it.
Manufacturer Novo Nordisk planned to pull Fiasp from the pharmaceutical benefits scheme (PBS) from April 1, saying it was no longer commercially viable under government price cuts.
For Mr Webb, it would bump up the price from $30 every two months to about $230.
The federal government has stepped in and secured a supply-only arrangement for Fiasp and Fiasp FlexTouch, which will keep in on the PBS until the end of September.
Under the arrangement, patients with a current prescription can continue to access the drug.
Those without a prescription are encouraged to see their doctor before April 1 to guarantee access during the supply-only period or discuss their options.
Work to secure new fast-acting drug underway
Health minister Mark Butler said the decision by Novo Nordisk to withdraw Fiasp from the PBS was deeply disappointing and distressing for Australians living with type 1 diabetes and their families.
Mr Butler told 2GB the decision was motivated by money.
"At the end of the day, these companies, although they're often very well-intentioned… closely connected to communities like the diabetes community, at the end of the day they're focused on profit as well," he said.
"The job of government now is to work with the diabetes community and industry to make sure that there's … a product that has the same quality that this one has: the super-fast-acting quality."
In a statement, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson said they appreciated the government's decision to keep the drugs on the PBS for another six months, but there would be deep disappointment from people living with diabetes come the end of September.
"The federal government is maintaining its original decision to impose a significant price cut on Fiasp Flextouch and Fiasp vial — to below the price of much older insulins," they said.
"This decision devalues the patient experiences of Fiasp and devalues new, innovative medicines that bring benefits over older treatments, and their decision leads to the removal of Fiasp from the PBS after 30 September.
"We continue to work with the federal government to find an enduring solution so patients have equitable access to innovative treatments like Fiasp."
Diabetes Australia welcomes decision
The temporary intervention is a relief for Mr Webb, who said taking Fiasp off the PBS was a major step back in diabetes management.
"It was gut-wrenching," he said.
Mr Webb said after 28 years of living with the disease he finally felt positive about his health outlook.
He said having to decide between paying more, or using a less effective treatment was "hard to take".
"Going back to [my previous drug] … my control wouldn't be as good, my long-term prognosis wouldn't be as good," he said.
Mr Webb said it was incredibly reassuring to know the government was taking the disease seriously.
Diabetes Australia Group chief executive Justine Cain welcomed the announcement.
"Living with diabetes can be very difficult and people should be able to access the best available insulins and medicines, at an affordable price, to have their best quality of life and reduce the impact of diabetes-related complications," Ms Cain said.
Ms Cain said she hoped the government and manufacturer could reach an agreement to keep Fiasp on the PBS long term.
