Oral agents have traditionally been the first line pharmacological therapy for type 2 diabetes. However, it is known from the UKPDS trial that these agents fail to control glycaemia over the long term and overall about 6% of patients need to be transferred onto insulin therapy every year. In addition insulin has been tested as a first line therapy in the UKPDS trial and found to be equally efficacious as sulphonylureas in controlling glycaemia and preventing complications early in the course ...