The story of insulin discovery and development to where we are today reflect the ingenuity of scientists and their persistence in exploring, investigating and improving medicines to ultimately treat patients better. I was reminded of this when a patient of mine, who has been living with diabetes for 35 years, told me how she would use a Bunsen burner to sterilise her needles, and dilute her urine with water so it would not show up dark if her sugar was high – all to placate her mother! How far have we come?