A new drug which could help thousands of diabetes patients avoid painful daily injections looks set to be approved by ministers.

The government's advisory body, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice), has recommended that Avandia should be available for type II diabetics

It would be used to help those whose condition could not be controlled with diet, excercise and traditional drugs alone.

Their report, which is likely to be fully accepted by ministers, was welcomed by diabetes charities.

Avandia is already available in the US and will cost between �300 and �600 a year per patient.

There are approximately 100,000 type II diabetics in the UK, although only a few will qualify for the new treatment, as many can control the disease with sensible diet and exercise.

Avandia is one of a new range of glucose-lowering drugs for diabetes which can be taken orally rather than the patient having to inject insulin.

Diabetes sufferers have said that the need for daily injections of life-saving insulin has meant they face discrimination and driving restrictions, as well as the physical toll of administering the jabs.

Long-term damage

Avandia may also offer some protection against some of the long-term effects of having diabetes, reducing damage to blood vessels, the risk of heart and kidney disease, strokes, blindness and ulcers.

Andrew Dillon, chief executive of Nice said: "This new guidance is an example of the way Nice intends to support and promote clinically and cost effective new medicines at the time they become available.

"Our guidance should ensure uniform take-up of rosiglitazone (the medical name for Avandia) throughout the NHS."

Health Minister Gisela Stuart echoed this, saying: "Today's guidance opens up options for treating some patients with diabetes.

"It is another step towards our goal of ensuring that people with diabetes have equal access to the best treatments wherever they live."

Suzanne Lucas, Director of Care at the charity Diabetes UK, said "It is vital that greater effort is made to prevent the long term complications of diabetes by keeping good control of blood glucose levels.

"Any treatment which promises to help this should be available to everyone that needs it.

"Avandia (rosiglitazone) may well allow those who would otherwise be considered for insulin therapy to delay this, thus avoiding the difficulties and discrimination, such as driving restrictions, with which insulin therapy can be associated."

This is one of the first recommendations to be issued by Nice, which has also said that anti-flu drug Relenza was not suitable for prescription on the NHS.