Final answer:
The discovery of insulin by Banting and Best revolutionized the treatment of diabetes by turning a deadly disease into a manageable condition, through the introduction of a way to control blood sugar levels. Advances in biotechnology further improved the production and availability of human insulin. The correct option is b.
Step-by-step explanation:
The significance of the discovery of insulin by Sir Frederick Banting and Charles Best is that it revolutionized the treatment of diabetes. Before their groundbreaking work, diabetes was a fatal disease with no effective treatment.
Insulin's discovery in 1921 allowed for the management of blood sugar levels in diabetic patients, transforming diabetes from a death sentence into a manageable chronic condition.
It is important to note that while both penicillin and insulin are monumental in the medical field, penicillin's discovery was credited to Alexander Fleming and its subsequent development to Howard Florey and Ernst Chain. Insulin, on the other hand, has played a critical role in transforming the lives of those with diabetes.
With the advent of recombinant DNA technology, human insulin could be mass-produced, making the treatment accessible to millions worldwide and reducing the instances of allergic reactions seen with animal-sourced insulin. The correct option is b.