The New Nation - Internet Edition

Novo Nordisk has been awarded a 2008 Medical Design Excellence Award for NovoFine® Autocover®--a needle for insulin injection designed especially to reduce the risk of needle stick injuries and help people with diabetes who suffer from needle anxiety. Needle-stick injuries can expose patients and doctors to serious infections--as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV--and each needle-stick injury can be costly for society, even when no infection occurs.

NovoFine® Autocover® is designed to conceal the needle during injection and may therefore help diabetes patients overcome needle anxiety. As many as 10 per cent of people with diabetes suffer from a fear of needles, to the point where they actually avoid injections.

Novo Nordisk is a healthcare company and a world leader in diabetes care. Novo Nordisk manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products and services that make a significant difference to patients, the medical profession and society. With headquarters in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 26,000 employees in 80 countries, and markets its products in 179 countries.