Scotland was the first country in the world to introduce a simple blood test for people who have been living with Type 1 diabetes for at least three years which has enabled some patients to stop taking insulin.
There are approximately 276,000 people living with diabetes in Scotland and the test, available at hospital diabetes centres from November 1, aims to improve the accuracy of diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes.
The routine testing of C-peptide allows doctors to work out how much insulin someone with diabetes is making themselves. If C-peptide is present in significant amounts, then it may indicate that the person does not have Type 1 diabetes and that it may be possible to stop or reduce insulin treatment.
