I woke up today to feeds full of tech – diabetes tech. Plus I seem to be reading heaps and talking about not-so-new, but still awesome tech-y stuff.
Diabetes technology has been on my mind a lot lately (as well as on my body). Mostly, I have been thinking of the evolution of how dtech moves from being a niche market embraced by only a few, to becoming mainstream.
Back in 2001, those of us using pumps were seen as leaders in the dtech area. Many diabetes HCPs had never even seen a pump and certainly were not comfortable encouraging people to use them. The only reason I started using this technology was because I met someone using one at a diabetes event and asked her. I then spoke with my endocrinologist who was incredibly dismissive, labelling the technology as dangerous. I interviewed for a new HCP team to find people who were more willing to embrace technology.
The same thing happened when CGM was launched here.
And the same with new and different other devices. iBGStar, Libre, diabetes apps – most often, the interest is led my people with diabetes who force the establishment to catch up and get on board.
And I think it is still happening. Here are some things that are being spoken about by patient advocates A LOT. How many of your diabetes HCPs would know about the current state of play in the space? Next time you see them, why don’t you ask?
TANDEM
Makers of very cool (and, frustratingly, unavailable here in Australia) t:slim insulin pump, Tandem Diabetes Care, has joined forces with digital health company, TypeZero Technologies. Yesterday’s announcement explained that the two have entered into an agreement whereby the next generation t:slim pump will integrate TypeZeros’ artificial pancreas technology.
BIGFOOT
#IBelieveInBigfoot even more after news today from the start-up that they have commenced clinical trials of their smartloop automated insulin delivery system. BigFoot Biomedical is hoping to commercialise their product by 2018. That’s way less than 5 years, folks!
More here from the team at Diabetes Mine and here from the team at ASweetLife.
FDA votes on CGM
Looks like our Dex 5-wearing friends in the US will soon have the same classification on their devices as us here in Australia (and in Europe) with the FDA voting to revise labels to support treatment decisions based on CGM data without confirmatory BGL checks.
The live tweeting from the FDA Panel hearing was interesting with some really valuable and insightful comments from patient advocates. (And can I just say how refreshing it is to see that advocates were given such a huge opportunity to speak here?!)
Some interesting discussions on the interwebs as the vote was announced (and in the lead up too). Not everyone is as excited by this development, or on the same side of the advocacy fence, with some claiming that they don’t have the same faith in the tech and fear that access to BGL strips will be removed.
For what it’s worth, my experience with this technology – and using it as classified – has been nothing but positive. The accuracy of the system is, for me, undeniable and I trust it implicitly to treat both high and low BGLs without doing a confirmatory blood check.
And I have also written before that I have used my CGM ‘off label’ for some time – even before the G5 – and am confident in saying I know I am not the only one. This seems like an example of the regulators finally catching up to the reality. Welcome to the party, guys!
GONG FOR ED DAMIANO
Congratulations to Ed Damiano who was awarded Boson University’s Innovator of the Year for 2016.
Ed was recognised for his work in developing the iLet Bionic Pancreas.
WHAT THE HELL IS #OPENAPS?
Someone asked me this the other day – actually using those exact words. I bumbled my way through an explanation and after about 60 seconds remembered THIS piece by Dana Lewis.
Have you had a discussion about this with your (or any) HCPs? And if so, what have they said? Most HCPs here I have spoken to either do not know about it at all, or are very dismissive of it.
It seems that there are a lot of people in the DOC who have kept across the ‘movement’, but not a whole lot of break-through in more traditional corners. As is often the case, I suspect that the way, it will be PWD who drive that.
IN MELBOURNE?
Check out this tech event: Translating type 1 diabetes technology into the everyday. It’s free and there is lots on the agenda.
Interweb Jumble #17 – The tech edit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3S-dQ-IDvkWGL4OgQpLa9w
Interweb Jumble #17 – The tech edit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3S-dQ-IDvkWGL4OgQpLa9w
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