A NEW treatment for diabetics has been re- jected for use by the NHS in Scotland on cost grounds.

Tresiba (Insulin deglu- dec) is the first long-lasting insulin allowing patients to manage blood glucose levels with a daily injection that can be taken at any time.

In clinical trials invol- ving 7000 patients with type 2 diabetes, the new insulin reduced the risk of night hypoglycaemia by up to 36%, compared to the standard basal insulin.

However the drug, launched by Danish pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisc earlier this year, is around 70% more expensive than the standard injection.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium said the company "did not present a sufficiently robust economic analysis to gain acceptance".

A decision has not yet been taken by NICE for use of the drug south of the border.

It comes as new figures show a record three million people have been told they have diabetes in the UK, with 250,000 of those in Scotland.

The number of known Scots diabetes cases is increasing by 10,000 every year and the cost to the NHS is £300million.

Research shows that without proper management diabetic patients are at risk of reduced life expectancy of between six and 20 years as well as an increased risk of other health complications.