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Insulin Recombinant Human: uses, dosing, side effects & brands

Insulin Recombinant Human is a medicine sold in the U.S. under 2 brand and generic names. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.

By the pharmaranks editorial teamReviewed against the FDA (openFDA label, NDC Directory & Enforcement) sourcesUpdated Jul 24, 2026How we research

Key facts

Available as
Injectable · Kit · Powder, metered
Sold as
2 products — Novolin R and Afrezza
Prescription?
Both Rx and OTC forms
Generic available?
Not in our catalog
Boxed warning
Boxed warning

How Novolin R is dosed

From the FDA label for Novolin R (application BLA019938). Other insulin recombinant human products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.

See Full Prescribing Information for important administration instructions. ( 2.1 ) • Subcutaneous injection: inject subcutaneously 30 minutes before a meal into the abdominal area, buttocks, thigh or the upper arm. Rotate injection sites to reduce risk of lipodystrophy and localized cutaneous amyloidosis. ( 2.2 ) • Intravenous use: administer intravenously ONLY under medical supervision at concentrations from 0.05 unit/mL to 1 unit/mL in infusion systems using polypropylene infusion bags. ( 2.2 ) • Individualize dose based on route of administration, metabolic needs, blood glucose monitoring results and glycemic control goal. ( 2.3 ) • NOVOLIN R given by subcutaneous injection should generally be used in regimens with an intermediate- or long-acting insulin. ( 2.3 ) • Can be mixed with NOVOLIN N. ( 2.5 ) 2.1 Important Administration Instructions Always check insulin labels before administration [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )]. • Inspect NOVOLIN R visually before use. It should appear clear and colorless. Do not use NOVOLIN R if particulate matter or coloration is seen. • Use of NOVOLIN R in insulin pumps is not recommended because of the risk of precipitation. 2.2 Route of Administration Subcutaneous Administration • Inject NOVOLIN R subcutaneously approximately 30 minutes prior to the start of a meal into the abdominal area, buttocks, thigh, or the upper arm. • Rotate…

Everything below is the FDA label for Novolin R (injectable). Insulin Recombinant Human is also sold as kit and powder, metered, and those are different medicines to take — follow the label for the one you were prescribed.

Novolin R side effects

The following adverse reactions are also discussed elsewhere in the labeling: • Hypoglycemia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] • Medication Errors [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] • Hypersensitivity Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 )] • Hypokalemia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.6 )] Adverse Reactions from Clinical Studies or Postmarketing Reports The following additional adverse reactions have been identified during clinical studies or from postmarketing reports with use of NOVOLIN R. Because some of these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or to establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Adverse reactions associated with insulin initiation and glucose control intensification Intensification or rapid improvement in glucose control has been associated with a transitory, reversible ophthalmologic refraction disorder, worsening of diabetic retinopathy, and acute painful peripheral neuropathy. Over the long-term, improved glycemic control decreases the risk of diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy. Hypersensitivity reactions Severe, life-threatening, generalized allergy, including anaphylaxis. Hypoglycemia Hypoglycemia is the most commonly observed adverse reaction in NOVOLIN R. Hypokalemia NOVOLIN R can cause a shift in potassium from the…

Who shouldn’t take Novolin R

NOVOLIN R is contraindicated: • During episodes of hypoglycemia • In patients with hypersensitivity to NOVOLIN R or any of its excipients • During episodes of hypoglycemia ( 4 ) • Hypersensitivity to NOVOLIN R or any of its excipients ( 4 )

Novolin R drug interactions

Table 1: Clinically Significant Drug Interactions with NOVOLIN R 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 analog (e.g., octreotide), and sulfonamide antibiotics Intervention: Dose adjustment and increased frequency of glucose monitoring may be required when NOVOLIN R is co-administered with these drugs. Drugs that May Decrease the Blood Glucose Lowering Effect of NOVOLIN R 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 adjustment and increased frequency of glucose monitoring may be required when NOVOLIN R is co-administered with these drugs. Drugs that May Increase or Decrease the Blood Glucose Lowering Effect of NOVOLIN R Drugs: Alcohol, beta-blockers, clonidine, and lithium salts. Pentamidine may cause hypoglycemia, which may sometimes be followed by hyperglycemia. Intervention: Dose adjustment and increased frequency of glucose monitoring may be required when NOVOLIN R is co-administered with these drugs. 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 NOVOLIN R is co-administered with these drugs. • Drugs that Affect Glucose Metabolism: Adjustment of insulin dosage may be needed. ( 7 ) • Antiadrenergic Drugs (e.g., beta-blockers, clonidine, guanethidine, and reserpine): Signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia may be reduced or absent. ( 5.3 , 7 )

Every insulin recombinant human product we track (2)

Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.

Insulin Recombinant Human products
#DrugRatingPharmacy pays
170/100View →
2Not yet ratedView →

Combination products containing insulin recombinant human

A combination is a different drug — different dosing, different warnings. It is listed here so you can find it, not so you can substitute it.

What people report to the FDA about insulin recombinant human

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 4 reports naming insulin recombinant human, and the FDA flagged 75% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:

  • alopecia1 reports
  • arthralgia1 reports
  • blood glucose decreased1 reports
  • delusion1 reports
  • diabetes mellitus1 reports
  • diabetic ketoacidosis1 reports
  • fall1 reports
  • hallucination, auditory1 reports

Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean insulin recombinant human caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.

Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved August 25, 2026.

Related calculators

Frequently asked questions

What is Novolin R?

Novolin R (Insulin Recombinant Human) is a medication supplied as an injection, solution.

Can you take insulin recombinant human with other medicines?

It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run insulin recombinant human against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.

What brand names is insulin recombinant human sold under?

We track 2 insulin recombinant human-containing products in the U.S.: Novolin R and Afrezza. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.

What forms does insulin recombinant human come in?

Across the brands we track, insulin recombinant human is currently marketed as injectable, kit and powder, metered, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.

Is there a generic insulin recombinant human?

We do not currently list a generic-labelled insulin recombinant human product. That does not always mean none exists — it means none appears under a generic name in the FDA data we track. Ask your pharmacist.

Cite this page
APA
pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Insulin Recombinant Human: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/insulin-recombinant-human
MLA
“Insulin Recombinant Human: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/insulin-recombinant-human.

We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.

Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.

Read the full FDA label for insulin recombinant human on DailyMed (NIH) ↗ — including its boxed warning in full.