Eli Lilly and Co. is introducing a unique insulin pen Thursday that could prevent some punctures. The Indianapolis drug maker's Memoir pen, the first on the market with a memory device, is for use with its top-selling insulin, Humalog.
The battery-operated pen, called the "Lexus" of insulin pens by one doctor, uses a computer chip to remember the last 16 insulin doses delivered.
Lilly says Memoir could reduce hassles for some of the 21 million Americans who live with diabetes, but others question whether it will catch on.
"The concept is beautiful," said Dr. William Hsu of the Joslin Diabetes Center, also in Boston. "Now the issue is, is it practical?"
Some predict U.S. insurers and patients might be hesitant to pay $100 for the pen and a separate fee for the insulin cartridges.
And while insulin pens are popular in Europe and Asia, only about 800,000 of the 4 million U.S. diabetics who need daily insulin injections use a pen. Most use syringes and insulin vials.