We welcome Tonelli et al's1 contribution to raising the profile of non-communicable diseases (NCD), especially on NCD medicines in humanitarian emergencies, a topic that to date has received very little attention.2 However, we would question the message and conclusion of this paper on three grounds.

First, from a clinical perspective, the inclusion only of mixed insulin for diabetes exacerbations would seem to be a mistake, with rapid acting and NPH being more important. Although we agree with the authors that the benefits of treatment of NCDs ‘will take time to accrue’ as well as the exclusion of cancer and chronic kidney disease, it would seem to make little sense then to include statins …