On January 11, 1922, 14-year-old Leonard Thompson became the first person to receive insulin, developed by Frederick Banting and Charles Best, to treat diabetes. This created a revolutionary shift in diabetes care, transforming it from a fatal condition to a manageable illness.

Frederick Banting, a medical student, and Charles Best, his assistant, discovered insulin at the University of Toronto. Their groundbreaking work in isolating the hormone helped countless individuals suffering from diabetes.

The response to insulin was initially mixed due to its unknown effects, but it ultimately saved Leonard's life and improved the quality of life for many diabetic patients. This marked the beginning of a new era in diabetes treatment.

The administration of insulin revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes, allowing patients to live normally instead of succumbing to the disease's fatal consequences. The discovery drastically changed diabetes mortality rates.

Insulin was originally extracted from the pancreas of animals, especially pigs and cows. This faced ethical debates and prompted the development of synthetic and recombinant insulins in later years.

Banting and Best received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1923, following the success of their treatment. This recognition solidified insulin as a groundbreaking medical advancement.

Interestingly, the first insulin was only 1/3000th as potent as today’s, highlighting how much the science of drug formulation has evolved over the years.

The introduction of insulin therapy laid the foundation for innovations in diabetes management, including blood glucose monitoring and advancements in diabetic care.

How has the discovery of insulin affected your life or the lives of people you know?