A former Stirling doctor who helped invent the world’s first insulin pen for people with diabetes has been awarded a CBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list.
Consultant Dr Sheila Reith pioneered the care and treatment for people with diabetes during her career at Stirling Royal Infirmary and was awarded the honour for services to people with diabetes.
An NHS Forth Valley spokesperson said this week: “Sheila was instrumental in promoting multidisciplinary care for people with diabetes at a time when this was not widespread, developing a diabetes education centre at the former Stirling Royal Infirmary in the 1980s.”
Diabetes UK, who collaborated with Dr Reith and her colleagues on the development of the insulin pen, also congratulated her.
A spokesperson for the charity said: “Sheila’s incredible legacy includes her idea and research to develop the world’s first insulin pen. It made life with diabetes radically simpler and has been used by millions all over the world.
“Injecting insulin used to involve drawing it up from a vial and steel needles that had to be sterilised, sharpened and reused. Sheila knew there had to be a better way.
“She teamed up with Dr John Ireland and Dr John Paton and, with Diabetes UK’s support, they designed a new device that would transform how people with diabetes inject insulin.”
In the late 1970s, Sheila worked as a doctor in Glasgow and – having a young daughter with type 1 diabetes herself – she knew the practical difficulties of injecting insulin.
One day, in the ladies bathroom of Euston railway station, Sheila tried to give her daughter an insulin injection and thought there must be a less fiddly solution. Inspiration struck, and she came up with the idea of a pen-like device that would take insulin cartridges and inject with a single push of a button.
Sheila discussed her idea with colleagues, Drs Ireland and Paton, and together they set out to make it a reality. In 1978 they began developing a prototype insulin pen and in 1980 the first seven volunteers tested it to great success.
In 1981, they turned to Diabetes UK to help, who funded 100 prototype pens, 5,000 insulin cartridges and research costs to make the first trial of the insulin pen possible and the world’s first insulin pen – Penject – was launched in 1983.
Through the years Sheila’s invention would inspire the development of new and improved insulin pens.
Dr Elizabeth Roberston, Diabetes UK’s Director of Research, said: “Dr Reith’s idea, and determination to bring the insulin pen to life, changed the face of insulin therapy and diabetes care forever, benefiting too many people to count.
“Anyone who is lucky enough to meet Dr Reith cannot but be impressed by her generosity of spirit and humility in taking credit for this tremendous innovation, so it is especially pleasing to see her being awarded a CBE, an honour truly deserved.
Dr Reith said of her work on the insulin pen: “Thanks to all the wonderful colleagues I worked with over the years and to Diabetes UK who gave us seed funding. It has definitely been a team effort.”
In the 1980s, Dr Reith also led the development of a computerised database of everyone living with diabetes in central Scotland, working in collaboration with every GP in the area. It meant better care, with a recall facility that allowed doctors to ask their patients to come in for vital, regular health checks.
Former patients and colleagues have also taken to social media to congratulate her.
Rita Ciccu Moore, herself an MBE, said: “This award is so well deserved and has been a long time coming. Back in SRI days Dr Reith was the kindest most caring consultant I have worked with.”
