THE BAN which the British Government has imposed on some drivers who use insulin for diabetes is wholly unacceptable.

Under a European directive insulin users will no longer be able to drive vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes. Although the directive allows for licences to be issued to people who use insulin in "exceptional circumstances", for some reason, unlike other European countries, the British Government has not agreed to that.

The British Diabetic Association is asking for licence applicants with diabetes to be treated individually. That seems to be an eminently sensible approach.

There is no evidence to suggest that people with diabetes are less safe on the roads than other drivers.

So it does seem unnecessarily harsh to impose this blanket ban. As the BDA states, many insulin users are fit, healthy people.

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