Given the current guidelines consistently recommend timely initiating insulin therapy when glycemic target cannot be maintained by OADs in addition to lifestyle management, and that BI is considered as the most appropriate initial insulin regimen, [9, 10] this real-world study correspondingly investigated the effectiveness and safety of initiating BI plus metformin in Chinese T2DM patients of which the results can further support its application in China. The gene discussed is INS; the disease is type 2 diabetes mellitus.