OBJECTIVES: Insulin degludec (IDeg) is a long acting basal insulin analogue used once-daily in patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and was approved for use in Europe in 2013. A survey among clinicians was conducted to understand the initial real world experience from prescribing IDeg. METHODS: Clinicians with experience of prescribing IDeg in Germany, Sweden, Luxembourg, Switzerland and United Kingdom were invited to answer a short questionnaire in four waves. Collected data reflected the type of patients using IDeg, and the realised benefits of treatment including reductions in insulin dosing. Patients were not identifiable, and responses were anonymised, and qualitative or quantitative analyses used where appropriate. RESULTS: In total, 226 clinicians (n) representing 3,083 patients (pts) responded. In Germany (n=201), clinicians reported a slight preference to use IDeg for patients with T2DM versus patients with T1DM (34.5% versus 25.5% respectively, with 35.5% stating T1DM and T2DM). Overall, reported clinical benefits included improvement in blood glucose control (n=93, pts=1440), flexibility for patients (n=69; pts=1072) and reduced risk of hypoglycaemia (n=55, pts=939). Switching to IDeg allowed dose reductions in most patients (44% (n=100) of clinicians representing 55% (n=1690) of patients). Overall, 74% of clinicians (n=168; pts=1,856) reported the flexible dosing schedule had a positive impact on patients. CONCLUSIONS: These early findings in Germany and other European countries confirm the results from IDeg randomised clinical trials and indicate real world experience with IDeg is positive for both clinicians and patients by adding valuable treatment benefits.