insulin glargine
Brand names: Lantus, Basaglar, Toujeo
Basaglar is a long-acting insulin that helps control blood sugar levels. It is used to treat type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Drug Shortage Alert
insulin glargine is currently listed as to be discontinued by the FDA. Affected manufacturer: Eli Lilly and Co..
View all drug shortages →Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$20.94/unit
Generic Price
$8.95/unit
Generic Savings
57%
Generic Available
Yes (0 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Basaglar is used to lower blood sugar in adults and children with type 1 diabetes.
Common side effects
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), Allergic reactions, Injection site reactions (redness, swelling, itching)
Key warnings
Never share your Basaglar pen with anyone else, even if you change the needle.
How It Works
Basaglar is a long-acting form of insulin. It works by replacing the insulin that your body does not make, or helping your body use insulin better. This helps to lower your blood sugar levels over a longer period.
How to Take It
Inject Basaglar under your skin once a day, at the same time each day. You can inject it at any time of day. Your doctor will tell you how much Basaglar to use based on your needs. Always check the insulin label before you inject it.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Poorly controlled diabetes during pregnancy can harm both the mother and the baby. Basaglar's effects during pregnancy are not well-studied.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of Basaglar, inject it as soon as you remember. Then, go back to your regular injection schedule.
Storage
Keep unopened Basaglar pens in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 28 days. Opened pens should be stored at room temperature and used within 28 days.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 121,395 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 236,147 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2001–2025.
Total Reports
236,147
Death-Related Reports
13,233
Hospitalization Reports
62,916
Top Indication
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BLOOD GLUCOSE INCREASED | 38,214 |
| 2 | OFF LABEL USE | 11,496 |
| 3 | BLOOD GLUCOSE DECREASED | 10,314 |
| 4 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 10,281 |
| 5 | INAPPROPRIATE SCHEDULE OF PRODUCT ADMINISTRATION | 9,798 |
| 6 | NAUSEA | 9,568 |
| 7 | PRODUCT STORAGE ERROR | 8,531 |
| 8 | VISUAL IMPAIRMENT | 8,514 |
| 9 | HYPOGLYCAEMIA | 7,786 |
| 10 | DIARRHOEA | 6,900 |
| 11 | FATIGUE | 6,761 |
| 12 | INCORRECT DOSE ADMINISTERED | 6,540 |
| 13 | MALAISE | 6,531 |
| 14 | WEIGHT DECREASED | 6,309 |
| 15 | INJECTION SITE PAIN | 6,248 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Never share your Basaglar pen with anyone else, even if you change the needle. Sharing pens can spread blood-borne diseases. Changes to your insulin plan can affect your blood sugar. Make sure a doctor supervises any changes and that you check your blood sugar often. Low blood sugar can be very dangerous and even life-threatening. Watch for symptoms and check your blood sugar often. Low potassium can also be life-threatening. Tell your doctor if you have heart problems or take certain diabetes medicines called thiazolidinediones, as this can lead to heart failure.
Known Drug Interactions
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Table 6 includes clinically significant drug interactions with BASAGLAR Table 6: Clinically Significant Drug Interactions with BASAGLAR Drugs That May Increase the Risk of Hypoglycemia Drugs: Antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blocking agents, disopyramide, fibrates, fluoxetine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, pentoxifylline, pramlintide, salicylates, somatostatin analogs (e.g., octreotide), and sulfonamide antibiotics. Drugs that may increase the risk of hypoglycemia: antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blocking agents, d...
Mechanism: Fluoxetine can increase the effect of insulin, which may cause your blood sugar to drop lower than expected.
What to do: Watch for signs of low blood sugar and talk to your doctor about adjusting your medication doses.
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Table 6 includes clinically significant drug interactions with BASAGLAR Table 6: Clinically Significant Drug Interactions with BASAGLAR Drugs That May Increase the Risk of Hypoglycemia Drugs: Antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blocking agents, disopyramide, fibrates, fluoxetine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, pentoxifylline, pramlintide, salicylates, somatostatin analogs (e.g., octreotide), and sulfonamide antibiotics. Drugs that may increase the risk of hypoglycemia: antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blocking agents, d...
Mechanism: Both medications are used to lower blood sugar, so using them at the same time increases the risk of hypoglycemia.
What to do: Your healthcare provider may need to adjust your insulin dose and you should monitor your blood sugar levels frequently.
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Table 6 includes clinically significant drug interactions with BASAGLAR Table 6: Clinically Significant Drug Interactions with BASAGLAR Drugs That May Increase the Risk of Hypoglycemia Drugs: Antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blocking agents, disopyramide, fibrates, fluoxetine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, pentoxifylline, pramlintide, salicylates, somatostatin analogs (e.g., octreotide), and sulfonamide antibiotics. Drugs that may increase the risk of hypoglycemia: antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blocking agents, d...
Mechanism: Octreotide can lower blood sugar levels, which adds to the effect of insulin and increases the risk of a dangerous drop.
What to do: Check your blood sugar levels often and consult your doctor about changing your insulin dose.
Drugs That May Decrease the Blood Glucose Lowering Effect of BASAGLAR Drugs: Atypical antipsychotics (e.g., olanzapine and clozapine), corticosteroids, danazol, diuretics, estrogens, glucagon, isoniazid, niacin, oral contraceptives, phenothiazines, progestogens (e.g., in oral contraceptives), protease inhibitors, somatropin, sympathomimetic agents (e.g., albuterol, epinephrine, terbutaline), and thyroid hormones Intervention: Dose increases and increased frequency of glucose monitoring may be required when BASAGLAR is co-administered with these drugs. Drugs that may decrease the blood gluco...
Mechanism: Albuterol is a stimulant-like drug that can raise blood sugar, making your insulin work less effectively.
What to do: Check your blood sugar more often and talk to your doctor about whether your insulin dose needs to be increased.
Drugs That May Increase or Decrease the Blood Glucose Lowering Effect of BASAGLAR Drugs: Alcohol, beta-blockers, clonidine, and lithium salts. Drugs That May Blunt Signs and Symptoms of Hypoglycemia Drugs: beta-blockers, clonidine, guanethidine, and reserpine Intervention: Increased frequency of glucose monitoring may be required when BASAGLAR is co-administered with these drugs. Drugs that may increase or decrease the blood glucose lowering effect: alcohol, beta-blockers, clonidine, lithium salts, and pentamidine ( 7 ).
Mechanism: Clonidine can cause blood sugar to go up or down and can also hide the physical signs that your blood sugar is too low.
What to do: You should monitor your blood sugar more frequently since you may not notice the usual warning signs of a sugar drop.
Common Questions
Can I mix Basaglar with other insulins?
Where should I inject Basaglar?
How often should I check my blood sugar?
What should I do if my blood sugar is too low?
What should I do if my blood sugar is too high?
Can I use Basaglar in an insulin pump?
What if I have vision problems?
How do I dispose of used Basaglar pens?
What if I travel?
What do I do if my Basaglar pen is damaged?
What are the common side effects of insulin glargine?
Does insulin glargine interact with other medications?
What drug class is insulin glargine?
Is there a generic version of insulin glargine?
Is insulin glargine safe during pregnancy?
Is insulin glargine currently in shortage?
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What the FDA Data Shows for insulin glargine
The FDA label for insulin glargine (sold under brand names such as Lantus, Basaglar, Toujeo) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Long-Acting Insulin class. Basaglar is used to lower blood sugar in adults and children with type 1 diabetes. Official labeling lists 11 commonly reported side effects, including Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), Allergic reactions, Injection site reactions (redness, swelling, itching).
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 121,395 voluntary reports. The database also lists 11 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $8.95 versus $20.94 for the brand — a 57% generic savings.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC). Shortage status: FDA Drug Shortages Database.
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: December 11, 2025
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages