Regular human insulin U100 (Humulin R / Actrapid)
Eli Lilly / Novo Nordisk / other manufacturers
What it is
Established short-acting human insulin. Its slower meal timing differs from rapid analogues; presentation-specific withdrawals in Australia do not mean all regular human insulin is discontinued worldwide.
Editorial review: . What was checked and what remains uncertain.
Source dates appear in the references where available; this record has no dated citation metadata.
Trial status, labels and access can change between reviews.
Evidence behind this assessment
Key evidence notes. Study results, product eligibility and access answer different questions.
- Who was studied?
- Study populations and analysis groups vary. Product age limits alone do not describe who was studied.
- Benefit or performance
- Consistency: Established regulated formulation; absorption remains variable.[1]
- Important harms and treatment burden
- Read the safety discussion and original sources. A missing summary does not establish safety.
- Approval and country access
- Country-specific approval and access are not summarized in this record.Approval, trial recruitment, local supply and funding are separate. Check the cited label or access source.
- Follow-up and remaining uncertainty
- Read the record-specific review limits for gaps in evidence, source access or availability checks.
This record cites company or conference reports. Those sources may describe interim findings; their source type is shown in the source list.
Editorial score: calculation and evidence
A weighted editorial judgment on a 0–100 scale, not a probability of success or a measured treatment effect. Higher criterion scores mean more favorable assessments.
Default calculation: 30 × 20 + 30 × 25 + 30 × 15 + 60 × 20 + 30 × 10 + 60 × 10 = 3900; divide by total weight 100. Unrounded weighted result: 39.
Insulins are scored relative to their role peers (see tags: rapid, ultra-rapid, basal, inhaled). A basal insulin's onset score compares it to other basals, not to mealtime insulins.
Editor’s take
Scores are editorial judgments about the evidence and practical features, not measured comparative performance or a probability of success.
The full picture
Regular human insulin U100 is a short-acting mealtime insulin. The Humulin R label specifies subcutaneous administration approximately 30 minutes before meals. It is distinct from NPH basal insulin and from concentrated U500 regular insulin, which has different dosing and time-action properties.1
Lilly still lists Humulin R U100 in its current US catalogue. In Australia, the TGA lists Humulin R vials as discontinued in February 2026 and Actrapid Penfill for discontinuation in December 2026. These are country- and presentation-specific changes; they must not be generalized to every brand or country.23
This record fills an established-treatment omission. It does not imply suitability for an AID pump or equivalence to rapid-acting insulin for meal dosing. Follow the exact product label and a prescribed regimen.
References
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Humulin R U100 US prescribing information. https://pi.lilly.com/us/humulin-r-pi.pdf ↩
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Lilly current medicines catalogue. https://www.lilly.com/medicines/current ↩
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TGA current insulin supply changes. https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/shortages-and-supply-disruptions/medicine-shortages/major-or-ongoing-medicine-shortages/about-changes-supply-insulin-products ↩
Sources
- [1]Humulin R U100 US prescribing information · regulatory
- [2]TGA current insulin supply changes · regulatory
- [3]Lilly current medicines catalogue · manufacturer