Could insulin shots one day be a thing of the past?
BOSTON - Could insulin shots one day be replaced with a pill? Insulin can't be taken orally because it degrades easily in the acidic environment of the stomach.
But researchers in Melbourne, Australia have designed a new oral capsule with an outer coating that allows it to pass through the stomach unharmed and break down in the small intestine where insulin wrapped in fats can then cross the intestinal wall.
Early testing has been encouraging and scientists say the capsule could one day provide a non-invasive, pain-free way for people with diabetes to take their insulin.
