On January 11, 1922, insulin injections were first used in the world to treat people with diabetes at a city hospital in Toronto. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. The patient was a 14-year-old boy suffering from type 1 diabetes.2 photos

On January 11, 1922, a 14-year-old boy became the first person in the world to receive an insulin injection administered by Dr. Frederick Banting. Without treatment for this disease, it could be fatal. Insulin helps regulate the accumulation of fat in fatty tissues, reduces the concentration of free fatty acids, and slows down protein metabolism. It enables cells in tissues, especially those in the liver and muscles, to absorb glucose and convert it into glycogen. Insulin is a hormone that lowers blood sugar levels. A deficiency in insulin in the body leads to diabetes. This hormone was first discovered on April 24, 1921, by Romanian doctor Nicolae Paulescu in Paris, who named it "pancrein." Paulescu was the first to describe its properties, including its ability to lower blood sugar levels.

Experiments were conducted on laboratory animals. As a result, many believe that Paulescu, rather than Banting, should be considered the inventor of insulin. However, Banting discovered this hormone on July 27, 1921, and named it "insulin." For his discovery and research, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1923. Together with a team of young scientists from the University of Toronto, Banting determined the appropriate dosages of insulin and demonstrated its importance for human health. To honor Dr. Banting’s achievement, his birthday on November 14 is observed as World Diabetes Day. In 1922, the American company Elay began mass-producing this vital hormone and made it available to the market.