Type 1 diabetes, is a chronic condition, in which the pancreas do not make any insulin, the hormone which the body uses to allow glucose to enter cells and produce energy. it is mostly seen in children and is also known as juvenile diabetes.
A study published in New England Journal of Medicine on September 29, 2022, a research team led by Dr. Steven Russell at Massachusetts General Hospital, and funded by the US National Institutes of Health, developed an automated insulin delivery system, known as bionic pancreas. This generated a new hope in the field of type 1 diabetes, which was not in close sight until then. "This device, known as a bionic pancreas, only needs the user’s body weight upon setup. The user still needs to enter meals, but with an estimate of carbohydrate amount (more, less, or the same as typical). All other aspects of insulin delivery are completely automated," an NIH statement said.
The study involved more than 300 participants, between 6 to 79 years of age, with type 1 diabetes in the first half of 2021. "No episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening complication of diabetes, occurred in either study group. There was also no significant difference in the rate of severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) between the groups," the researchers stressed on the safety of the bionic pancreas.
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The bionic pancreas could make day-to-day management of type 1 diabetes easier, leading to better quality of life, the researchers had said.
A bionic pancreas comprises three components: a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), a program calculates how much insulin is needed and the insulin infusion pump. The insulin pump is worn on a belt, stored in a pocket, or attached directly to the skin. This device is helpful in determining your blood glucose levels continuously and avoids the risk of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.
Emergence of #WeAreNotWaiting Diabetes DIY Movement
The #WeAreNotWaiting Diabetes DIY (Do It Yourself) Movement is a patient-driven and grassroots movement within the diabetes community. It originated in response to the challenges faced by people living with diabetes who were frustrated with the slow pace of innovation and development in diabetes management technology and the limitations of existing commercial solutions.
In 2015, Dana Lewis, an independent researcher in Seattle, Washington developed a code for algorithm and tested it. Currently, around 30,000 people use the open-source technology for automated insulin delivery (AID), which is available AndroidAPS for smartphone applications.
In January 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted regulatory clearance to Tidepool Loop, an AID system based on an open-source algorithm for the first time. As per reports, AID system has more than 750,000 users currently.
