Recommended drugs
Metformin tablets £
Metformin modifed release ££ (where patient has intolerable gastrointestinal effects on metformin immediate release)
Metformin 500mg/5ml sugar free oral solution £££££ (where patient unable to swallow tablets)
Sulphonylureas:
Rapid-acting insulin secretagogues
Nateglinide
Repaglinide
Thiazolidinedione:
DPP-4 (dipeptidylpeptidase-4):
Sitagliptin £££
Linagliptin £££ (where renal function is a concern)
SGLT-2 (sodium glucose co-transporter 2):
Canaglifozin £££
Dapaglifozin £££
Empagliflozin £££
GLP-1 (glucagon-like-peptide-1) agonists
Lixisenatide £££££
Liraglutide £££££
Dulaglutide £££££
GLP-1 agonists/insulin combinations
Insulin Degludec + Liraglutide (Xultophy) £££££
Insulin Glargine + Lixisenatide (Suliqua) £££££
ACE non-approved drugs
Vildagliptin removed from formulary October 2011
Saxagliptin removed from formulary November 2014
Drug Traffic Light Key:
Green – On Formulary
Amber – Restricted use, see local guidelines
Purple – Specialist use/initiation
Red – Non Formulary
Relative Costs Key (where indicated):
£££££ - high
£££ - moderate
£ - low