Type 1 diabetes breakthrough: halted for 6 months |
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This morning, we reported on a potentially huge type 1 diabetes breakthrough. Researchers at Harvard and MIT have been able to effectively halt the disease for up to six months signifying that a cure may not be far away.
By encapsulating human islet cells in a material called triazole-thiomorpholine dioxide (TMTD), the beta cells were able to produce insulin for 174 days in mice models in response to blood glucose levels.
Senior author Daniel Anderson, Ph.D., associate professor at MIT, said: “We are excited by these results, and are working hard to advance this technology to the clinic. These results lay the groundwork for future human studies using these formulations with the goal of achieving long-term replacement therapy for type 1 diabetes."
The state of diabetes care has again been called into question, this time by MPs from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
On Friday, the PAC published a new report which says the Department of Health and NHS England has painted an "unduly healthy" picture of how diabetes is treated in the UK.
They claim big improvements are needed, and that “the NHS and Department for Health have been too slow in tackling diabetes, both in prevention and treatment."
In other news, an article was published in the journal Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics which examines the future of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) technologies.
Adults with type 1 diabetes who are struggling with hypoglycemia should be offered CGMs - which consistently monitor your blood glucose levels using sensors placed on the body - according to the 2015 NICE guidelines.
How early to inject before a meal is a question regularly asked by people with type 1 diabetes. On the Diabetes Forum hadisami8 asked: “I'm having a bit of trouble with the timing of my boluses. I know it depends on what you're eating, but say if my meal contains rice or potatoes or any simple carbs like that, should I inject about 5-10 mins earlier than when I eat?” Click here for more information on pre and post-meal testing.
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