Non-Kosher Insulin Injections

Question:

I have type 2 diabetes, and I'm unable to control it adequately with oral medication, and thus require insulin injections. The products my doctor is suggesting are made either from human cadavers or porcine (pork) product. What should I do?

Answer:

Taking shots made of porcine product does not pose any problem whatsoever. We are forbidden to orally ingest pork, but may benefit from non-kosher foods or their byproducts in other ways.1 This applies to non-medical areas as well, such as playing football with a pigskin ball, or wearing clothing made of leather which comes from a non-kosher animal.

[Bear in mind that the laws of kosher are suspended in many instances for medical purposes. Speak to an expert rabbi if you find it necessary to take oral medicine which is not kosher.]

Injections which contain human remains do present a problem because we are forbidden to benefit from human bodies (see Are cadaver transplants allowed?).2 I would therefore advise you to take the porcine product insulin shots.

Wishing you continued success in your efforts to keep healthy under trying circumstances.

Wishing you a happy, healthy and sweet new year!

Yours truly,

Rabbi Menachem Posner

FOOTNOTES
1.	The exception to this rule is a mixture of dairy and beef which was cooked together. Also, there are rabbinic restrictions on doing business in the non-kosher food industry.
2.	Though also not categorically forbidden in case of medical necessity.

By Menachem Posner

Rabbi Menachem Posner is a member of the Chabad.org Ask the Rabbi team.

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April 24, 2013

Life-long Diabetic Input

I've been a diabetic since I was five, and Baruch Hashem Insulin has been available to me for 25 years w/o the use of any biological . I have never ever heard anyone ever, Rabbi, Doctor, anyone call insulin cannibalism. I was lucky that I never had to use 'animal insulin' since the engineered kind has always been available. I'll never forget in High School Science class putting some insulin on a slide expecting to see biology swimming and seeing nothing since it is not a biological living thing like donated blood. It's completely 100% engineered. Understand that HumaLIN insulin isn't HUMAN insulin and no one should ever harm themselves by not taking it on the worry of being a cannibal. It'd be like a type 1 diabetic not eating on a fast making themselves ill. You always protect health when you can. Insulin is one of the biggest blessings I have. If I'd been born 57 years earlier I'd have been dead at 5. I thank Hashem daily for giving this body to me now when I have a chance to live.

Alexis B.
Vancouver, BC Canada

June 27, 2009

Don't touch unclean things

Doesn't Torah say not to even touch unclean things? So how can touching a pigskin football be "kosher"?

David Ben-Ariel
Toledo, Ohio

February 18, 2009

Response to Tim Nichols

Using substances obtained from a living human is not necessarily cannibalism or unholy. Feeding human breastmilk to a baby is not prohibited.

Stephen Weinstein
Camarillo, CA
chabadcamarillo.com

February 18, 2009

human insulin

The amino acid sequence of the human insulin is used in engineering the human insulin. It is not derived from pancreatic tissue. There are many excellent websites online that describe the process used to create these and other genetically engineered human hormones.

Those with concerns about whether these products are kosher should consult with their rabbi and prescribing physician.

Irena McClain

February 17, 2009

Human Insulin

If, as Irena McClain states, no tissue derived from a human pancreas is used in producing "Human Insulin," why is it considered a genetic clone of this substance? Why is it called "Human Insulin?" I don't believe her. There must be a HUMAN origin, rendering all such substances not just unholy, but actually cannibalism. I refuse to use this stuff. I prefer to die sooner than to die later as a cannibal!

Tim Nichols

June 2, 2008

Dear Stephen

Wearing leather shoes is forbidden on Yom Kippur and the 9th of Av. However, leather clothing, e.g., a kippa, belt or jacket is permitted.

Levi Silman
Cape Town, SA

May 29, 2008

Insulin Injections

In reply to the person asking about insulin injections, human insulin is genetically engineered, not obtained from human cadavers. Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are two companies that have used special techniques to create human insulin and insulin analogues but neither company uses pancreatic cells from human cadavers. There are other injectables to control blood glucose that are not insulin (for example, Byetta and Symlin) but again, these are genetically engineered and not obtained from cadavers. I hope that you can pass on the information to the person that asked about using porcine insulin instead of human insulin.
Thank you

Irena McClain, Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi

November 18, 2007

Minor correction

The sentence "[t]his applies to non-medical areas as well, such as playing football with a pigskin ball, or wearing clothing made of leather which comes from a non-kosher animal" is not true on Yom Kippur, when wearing leather clothing is forbidden.

Stephen Weinstein
Camarillo, CA
chabadcamarillo.com

September 25, 2007

insulin

In addition to the pork based insulin there also several synthetic ones on the market that could work for you.

Jerome David

September 23, 2007

Insulin

I don't know of anyone making insulin of Cadavers any longer nor of pork, Novalin is totally synthetic and works real well.
So is the New Bayetta, which is not insulin but makes your pancreas make insulin and makes you lose weight.
Shalom

Al
Miami, Fla

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