Podcast appearances and mentions of stacey simms

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: Tandem's new infusion set is approved, Dexcom G7 compatibility with the Omnipod 5 iPhone app announced, Sernova cell-pouch moves forward, GLP-1 meds for T1D, and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom   Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX Tandem gets FDA clearance for a new infusion set. The company shared in an SEC filing that its Capillary Biomedical (CapBio) subsidiary won clearance for its SteadiSet Infusion Set. SteadiSet features an integrated inserter with a hidden needle designed for one-handed insertion. It received clearance to deliver insulin for up to three days of use. However, Tandem plans to submit a separate request to extend the indicated use time to up to seven days. It doesn't expect to begin commercial activities for SteadiSet until after it receives clearance for the extended use time. Many of us have been following this since Tandem acquired CapBio back in 2022.. it's been pretty hush hush – CapBio has never accepted my requests for interviews, so I'm excited to see this approval, mostly because my son really really needs it! https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/tandem-capbio-fda-clearance-insulin-infusion-set/ XX   Insulet just announced via an email to health care providers that Dexcom G7 compatibility with the Omnipod 5 iPhone app will be released IN THE COMING WEEKS! Great news for people with #t1d and XX Sernova announces positive interim data from its ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial in patients with T1D. this is their Cell Pouch Bio-hybrid Organ as a functional cure for type 1 diabetes (T1D), today Interim data from 12 patients with transplanted human donor islet cells show patients achieving insulin independence, islet cell engraftment in Cell Pouch, islet function, islet survival, improved glycemic control, improved patient reported quality of life (QOL) and improved awareness of hypoglycemia and increased sensitivity to severe hypoglycemic symptoms. Improvement in patient outcomes was correlated with a cumulative increase in the quantity of transplanted islets. Based on these findings, the study is on track to meet its primary and secondary endpoints, and the confirmatory Cohort C is expected to initiate in H2 2025.   Clinical trials with iPSC islet-like clusters from Sernova's partner, Evotec, are anticipated to begin in 2026 after completion of Cohort C of the ongoing trial. These interim findings, with 8 of 12 patients achieving insulin independence so far, support the thesis that Sernova's high volume ten channel Cell Pouch, used in Cohort B, plus an optimised immune suppression regimen, has the potential to achieve insulin independence, without portal vein transplant, in our planned clinical trial with Evotec's high quality iPSC islet-like clusters. Measured HbA1c (a blood test that shows the average blood sugar levels over the past 2-3 months) in patients with Cell Pouch alone, showed that 9 of 12 patients had a reduced value within the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommended range of

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: A new Austrailian study aims to prevent type 1, the new twiist pump will integrate with Eversnse CGM as well as Libre, diabetes deaths are down in the US, Dexcom U is looking for college athletes, and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom   Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX A world-first human trial of a drug designed to treat the underlying cause of type 1 diabetes has begun in Australia. University of Queensland researcher Ranjeny Thomas said the experimental drug — dubbed ASITI-201 — was designed to retrain the immune system so it no longer attacks the insulin-producing pancreatic cells, known as beta cells. The drug, given as an injection under the skin, combines fragments of a protein found in the beta cells of people with type 1 diabetes and vitamin D to calm the immune response. She said if effective, the drug would initially be given to patients with type 1 diabetes as soon as possible after diagnosis to preserve remaining pancreatic cells and reduce the amount of insulin needed. But eventually, if screening programs can be developed to pick up people at risk of developing type 1 diabetes, it may be possible to "prevent the progression of the disease altogether". The first in-human trial of 36 participants will test the safety of the drug, but blood tests will also determine the impact of the therapy on a patient's immune system and glucose tolerance. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-29/type-1-diabetes-drug-trial-auto-immune-disease-science/105223022 XX   Diabetes deaths in the U.S. have fallen to some of the lowest rates in years, according to new preliminary figures published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reversing a surge in mortality that was seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.   There were 26.4 deaths per 100,000 people from diabetes, according to early death certificate data for the third quarter of 2024 published this month by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.   Death rates from diabetes peaked in 2021, according to CDC figures, at 31.1 deaths per 100,000 people for that year. Diabetes was the eighth leading cause of death in 2021. The CDC says the link between COVID-19 and diabetes may be to blame for that increase.   "Data show an increase in mortality rates for all people during the COVID-19 pandemic, and research shows that people with underlying conditions, including diabetes, are more likely to become very sick from COVID-19 and have a higher risk of hospitalization and death," Christopher Holliday, head of the CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation, told CBS News in a statement.   Holliday added that research shows the pandemic may also have made it harder for Americans to properly manage the disease, ranging from interruptions to physical activity to disruptions to routine medical care diagnosing and treating the disease.   https://www.cbsnews.com/news/diabetes-deaths-lowest-levels-years-early-cdc-figures/ XX Big news for the Eversense CGM – they have their first pump partner. Sequel Med Tech says the twist pump will integrate with Senseonics Eversense 365 continuous glucose monitor (CGM). This collaboration would make twiist the first AID system compatible with Eversense 365, the world's first and only one-year CGM. Sequel and Senseonics say they have already started their work to integrate the latest-generation, 365-day implantable sensor with twiist. They expect to make the integrated offering available in the third quarter of this year. This marks the second CGM integration for Sequel, which partnered with Abbott and its FreeStyle Libre platform earlier this year. This week we also got a peek at the packaging and delivery of the twist as the first people posted about wearing it. We'll follow up and learn more about this newest insulin pump in the us. Senseonics, meanwhile, brought the first year-long CGM to market last year, launching Eversense 365 with its global distribution partner, Ascensia Diabetes Care, in October 2024. The system also received clearance as an integrated CGM (iCGM) system, meaning it can work with compatible medical devices. Those include insulin pumps as part of automated insulin delivery systems. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/sequel-senseonics-integrate-cgm-insulin-pump/ XX Medtronic has announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the Simplera Sync sensor for use with the MiniMed 780G system. With this approval, the MiniMed 780G system now offers more flexibility for users of the company's most advanced insulin delivery system featuring Meal Detection technology with both the Guardian 4 sensor and Simplera Sync sensor.   The Simplera Sync is a disposable, all-in-one sensor that requires no fingersticks with SmartGuard or overtape and features a simple, two-step insertion process. It is the company's newest addition to its CGM portfolio, which expands options and provides greater flexibility for users.   The MiniMed 780G system's adaptive algorithm automatically anticipates, adjusts, and corrects glucose levels every 5 minutes, 24/7 – working around the clock so users can focus on what matters. It's the only system featuring Meal Detection technology, which detects rising sugar levels and delivers more insulin as needed to help users keep glucose levels in range more often – even when users occasionally forget to dose insulin for snacks or meals or underestimate their carbs.   The system uses a “treat to target” approach and flexible glucose targets as low as 100 mg/dL, which, combined with its adaptive algorithm allows it to more closely mirror the glucose levels of someone not living with diabetes.   Real-world data of the system shows global users consistently achieve time in range above international targets of 70% when using optimal settings (active insulin time of two hours and 100 mg/dL target glucose). It is also the only system that works with the world's only infusion set that lasts up to 7 days so that users only have to change their infusion set once per week and can experience 96% fewer injections compared to multiple daily injections.   “We're committed to driving innovation that makes life easier for those living with diabetes so they can forget about their diabetes as much as possible throughout the day,” said Que Dallara, EVP and president of Medtronic Diabetes. “Our MiniMed 780G system delivers advanced diabetes technology for so many around the world, and we're excited to continue evolving this experience with expanded CGM options —including our Simplera Sync sensor, which we look forward to bringing to people living with diabetes in the U.S.”   A limited launch of the Simplera Sync sensor will begin in the U.S. in the fall of 2025. Today, the MiniMed 780G system can be used with the Guardian 4 sensor.   Like this:https://med-techinsights.com/2025/04/29/simplera-sync-sensor-for-minimed-780g-now-fda-approved/ XX Front office changes at Insulet.. The former head of Johnson & Johnson's worldwide medtech business, Ashley McEvoy will take over as president and CEO from Jim Hollingshead, who has led Insulet since 2022. In its announcement of the leadership change, Insulet said that Hollingshead and the company mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately. McEvoy served as worldwide medtech chairman at J&J from 2018 until her departure in late 2023, the culmination of nearly 30 years at the company and several executive roles—including president of its Ethicon division and group chairman of vision and diabetes care. Since then, she has also served as a board member at Procter & Gamble. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/insulet-taps-former-jj-medtech-head-ashley-mcevoy-be-ceo XX New free mobile game launched this week to make type 1 diabetes onboarding faster easier and less overwhelming. It's called Level One.. created by Level Ex (Powered by Relevate Health), the studio behind award-winning medical games for medical professionals. Level Ex CEO Sam Glassenberg created the game after a – quote  - brutal onboarding experience when his daughter was diagnosed five years ago He says  It took a year to understand how to manage this disease. So we fixed it. We built a game that can train your brain to do it in a matter of hours." The game is launching in partnership with leading diabetes organizations Beyond Type 1 and Breakthrough T1D Play, who are integrating Level One into their outreach and educational campaigns to support newly diagnosed families worldwide. Download Level One on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/level-one-a-diabetes-game/id6739605694 Learn more: https://playlevelone.com   https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/level-ex-launches-level-one-a-free-mobile-game-to-redefine-type-1-diabetes-onboarding-302440929.html XX   Collagen is widely recognized for its role in maintaining healthy skin, but its importance extends far beyond that. As the most abundant protein in the human body, collagen provides essential structure and support to nearly all tissues and organs.   Now, researchers at Carnegie Mellon's Feinberg Lab have made a major breakthrough using their novel Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogels (FRESH) 3D bioprinting technique. This method enables the precise printing of soft, living cells and tissues. Leveraging this technology, the team successfully created the first-ever microphysiologic system, also known as a tissue model, constructed entirely from collagen. This advancement opens new possibilities for studying disease and engineering tissue therapies, including potential treatments for conditions like Type 1 diabetes.   Traditionally, small-scale models of human tissue, referred to as microfluidics, organ-on-chip devices, or microphysiologic systems, have been fabricated using synthetic materials such as silicone rubber or plastics. These materials were necessary due to limitations in earlier manufacturing techniques. However, because they are not biologically native, they fail to fully replicate natural tissue environments, restricting their effectiveness in biomedical research and therapeutic development.   “Now, we can build microfluidic systems in the Petri dish entirely out of collagen, cells, and other proteins, with unprecedented structural resolution and fidelity,” explained Adam Feinberg, a professor of biomedical engineering and materials science & engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. “Most importantly, these models are fully biologic, which means cells function better.”   Building Complex Tissues with FRESH Bioprinting In new research published in Science Advances, the group demonstrates the use of this FRESH bioprinting advancement, building more complex vascularized tissues out of fully biologic materials, to create a pancreatic-like tissue that could potentially be used in the future to treat Type 1 diabetes. This advancement in FRESH bioprinting builds on the team's earlier work published in Science, by improving the resolution and quality to create fluidic channels that are like blood vessels down to about 100-micron diameter.   “There were several key technical developments to the FRESH printing technology that enabled this work,” described Daniel Shiwarski, assistant professor of bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh and prior postdoctoral fellow in the Feinberg lab. “By implementing a single-step bioprinting fabrication process, we manufactured collagen-based perfusable CHIPS in a wide range of designs that exceed the resolution and printed fidelity of any other known bioprinting approach to date. Further, when combined with multi-material 3D bioprinting of ECM proteins, growth factors, and cell-laden bioinks and integration into a custom bioreactor platform, we were able to create a centimeter-scale pancreatic-like tissue construct capable of producing glucose-stimulated insulin release exceeding current organoid based approaches.” https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-bioprint-living-tissues-that-could-revolutionize-diabetes-treatment/ XX Another study showing the blood sugar benefit of walking after a meal. Skeletal muscle plays a central role in glucose uptake. Exercise stimulates glucose transport into muscle cells through insulin-independent pathways, notably through the action of glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT-4), which is responsible for transporting glucose from blood to skeletal muscles.4 This means that even without a robust insulin response, physical activity can facilitate glucose clearance from the bloodstream. These effects also occur without requiring high-intensity exercise, making postprandial walking accessible to a broad range of individuals, including those with limited exercise tolerance. multiple studies show that starting activity within 30 minutes after a meal is optimal. https://www.news-medical.net/health/Walking-After-Meals-Small-Habit-Big-Metabolic-Gains.aspx XX Dexcom brings back Dexcom U for a 4th years. This is a name, image and license program for college athletes with diabetes and includes a nationwide open call for passionate and inspiring college athletes to join its roster. Now through May 23, athletes, coaches, friends and family members can nominate candidates through an online submission. Those selected, along with the eight returning athletes from last year, will be invited to attend the Dexcom U Signing Day Camp this summer, hosted by Dexcom Warrior and Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews. https://www.hmenews.com/article/dexcom-u-returns-for-fourth-season

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: Eli Lilly will start a lcinical trial for tirzepatide for people with type 1 diabetes, more details on Dexcom's 15 day G7 sensor, Ozepmic pill form tested, type 5 diabetes identified and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom   Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links:   Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX Our top story this week.. Eli Lilly takes the first steps toward getting tirzepatide approved for people with type 1 diabetes. Tirzepatide is sold under the brand names Mounjaro for type 2 and Zepbound for obesity. The main purpose of this study is to find out how well and how safely tirzepatide works in adults who have type 1 diabetes and obesity or are overweight. Participation in the study will last about 49 weeks. Official Title A Phase 3, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Tirzepatide Once Weekly Compared to Placebo in Adult Participants With Type 1 Diabetes and Obesity or Overweight This is a big deal because, even though many people with type 1 are able to get a prescription for tirzepatide, it's not approved for T1D and so insurers won't usually cover it.   https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06914895 XX The use of drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound in people with type 1 diabetes has risen sharply over the past decade, a new study finds, even though there's little information on the drugs' safety and effectiveness for the condition. The family of medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists includes drugs like Wegovy, Zepbound, Ozempic, Mounjaro and Victoza. But the clinical trials of these medications specifically excluded people with type 1 diabetes, who are dependent on the hormone insulin to survive because they can't make enough of their own. Drugmakers feared that using the GLP-1 medications with insulin might raise the chance of dangerously low blood sugar events, or hypoglycemia, and were unwilling to take the risk of studying them in people with type 1.   For the study, which was published last month in the journal Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, researchers at Johns Hopkins University reviewed the medical records of more than 200,000 people with type 1 diabetes from 2008 to 2023. They grouped the data in three-year periods, starting with October 2008 to September 2011 and ending with October 2020 to September 2023. GLP-1 medication use spiked, as well. Among adults with the highest category of obesity, about 4% used GLP-1 medications in 2008, and 33% did by 2023 – an 800% increase. But these are anecdotal reports and may not reflect instances in which people have side effects or complications like low blood sugar, which can be life-threatening. But Shin says what's really needed is information from randomized, double-blinded studies, in which participants are followed forward in time and given either a drug or a placebo. https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/09/health/glp-1-type-1-diabetes-study/index.html   XX Later this month the FDA will conduct a final meeting regarding a new, investigational compound (sotagliflozin) soda-GLIFF-a-zin that has been shown to Improve QoL and Reduce Long-term Complications for people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The patient advocacy group Taking Control of Your Diabetes (TCOYD.org) is working to inform the T1D community about sotagliflozin - and to encourage people to sign a Change.org petition directed towards FDA.  Last fall, the FDA declined to approve sotagliflozin due to concerns about a potential increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), despite this being a condition that people with T1D on insulin face and manage daily. While TCOYD respects FDA's caution, the group stands by T1D patients and their physicians who, as a team, balance risks and benefits every day. https://tcoyd.org/petition/ XX Dexcom receives FDA approval for it's G7 with 15 day wear. We have an interview with Chief Operating Officer Jake Leach coming up on Tuesday – we talk about the planned roll out of this sensor, what else has changed, and the fine print in the press release – it says    “A study was conducted to assess the sensor life where 73.9% of sensors lasted the full 15 days. When using the product per package labeling, approximately 26% of sensors may not last for the full 15 days.   https://investors.dexcom.com/news/news-details/2025/Dexcom-G7-15-Day-Receives-FDA-Clearance-the-Longest-Lasting-Wearable-and-Most-Accurate-CGM-System/default.aspx?utm_source=www.diabetech.info&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=dexcom-g7-15-day-sensor-gets-fda-cleared-but-will-it-actually-last-that-long   XX Glucotrack is joining something called  FORGETDIABETES bionic pancreas initiative, - this is an European Union project that aims to develop a long-term automated insulin delivery system for type 1 diabetes patients. Glucotrack's Continuous Blood Glucose Monitor (CBGM) will be integrated into the system to provide real-time glucose readings. The initiative's goal is to create a bionic invisible pancreas that eliminates the need for therapeutic actions and reduces psychological burden.   The architecture of BIP encompasses a ground-breaking, lifelong lasting implanted ip glucose nanosensor; a radically novel ip hormone delivery pump, with unique non-invasive hormone refill with a magnetic docking pill and non-invasive wireless battery recharge; an intelligent closed-loop hormone dosing algorithm, optimized for ip sensing and delivery, individualized, adaptive and equipped with advanced self-diagnostic algorithms.     Pump refilling through a weekly oral recyclable drug pill will free T1D subjects from the burden of pain and awkward daily measurement and treatment actions. Wireless power transfer and data transmission to cloud-based data management system round-up to a revolutionary treatment device for this incurable chronic disease. key feature of BIP is to be fully-implantable and life-long lasting thanks to novel biocompatible and immune-optimized coatings guaranteeing long-term safety and stability https://www.stocktitan.net/news/GCTK/glucotrack-to-participate-in-forgetdiabetes-a-prominent-european-cjjldjb0dq7h.html XX A newly recognised form of diabetes, called Type 5, was announced this week at the World Congress of Diabetes 2025. A global task force will investigate this less-understood condition, which differs from Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Type 5 diabetes affects people who are underweight, lack a family history of diabetes and do not show the typical symptoms of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. The condition was first observed in the 1960s and referred to as J-type diabetes, after being detected in Jamaica. It was classified by the World Health Organisation in 1985, but removed in 1998 due to lack of physiological evidence. At the time, experts believed it to be a misdiagnosed case of Type 1 or 2 diabetes. New research has since confirmed that Type 5 is different. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/a-new-type-of-diabetes-has-been-found-by-scientists-and-it-doesnt-show-the-typical-symptoms-of-type-1-or-type-2/articleshow/120276658.cms?from=mdr   XX Oral semaglutide cuts major heart risks in people with type 2 diabetes by 14%, offering a powerful pill-based option. A new clinical trial, co-led by endocrinologist and diabetes specialist John Buse, MD, PhD, and interventional cardiologist Matthew Cavender, MD, MPH, at the UNC School of Medicine, has demonstrated that the oral form of semaglutide significantly lowers the risk of cardiovascular events in individuals with type 2 diabetes, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and/or chronic kidney disease. Results from the rather large, international trial were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session & Expo in Chicago, Illinois.     The effect of oral semaglutide on cardiovascular outcomes was consistent with other clinical trials involving injectable semaglutide, but more trials are needed to determine if one method may be more effective than the other at reducing major cardiovascular events. https://scitechdaily.com/new-pill-form-of-semaglutide-shows-major-benefits-for-people-with-diabetes/ XX April 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday warned consumers and pharmacies that fake versions of Ozempic, a drug to treat Type 2 diabetes, have been found in the United States. Novo Nordisk, the Danish-headquartered manufacturer, informed the FDA on April 3 that counterfeit 1-milligram injections of semaglutide were being distributed outside its authorized supply chain. The FDA and Novo Nordisk are testing the fake products to identify whether they're safe. Patients are asked to obtain Ozempic with a valid prescription through state-licensed pharmacies and check the product for any signs of counterfeiting. People in possession of the fake product are urged to call Novo Nordisk customer care at 800-727-6500 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT and report it to the FDA's criminal activity division's website. Side effects can be reported to FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program (800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch) as well as to Novo Nordisk, at 800-727-6500. https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2025/04/14/FDA-fake-Ozempic-drugs-Novo-Nordisk/6841744666854/ XX Can a digital lifestyle modification program reduce diabetes risk? A new study shows that the lifestyle intervention significantly reduced 10-year diabetes risk among prediabetics by nearly 46% and increased the diabetes remission rate, highlighting the importance of lifestyle changes. However, the study was not a randomized trial, and participation in the lifestyle intervention was voluntary, which may introduce selection bias. The study evaluated 133,764 adults, categorizing them as diabetic (7.5%), prediabetic (36.2%), and healthy (56.3%), based on fasting glucose and HbA1c levels. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250414/Digital-lifestyle-program-cuts-diabetes-risk-by-4625-in-prediabetics-study-of-130k2b-adults-reveals.aspx XX Chrissy Teigan is speaking out about her son's type 1 diagnosis – teaming up with Sanofi to encourage people to screen early for Type 1 diabetes.   Teigen got a crash course in the risks of undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes when her 6-year-old son, Miles, was hospitalized with complications of the autoimmune disease last year. The family knew nothing about Type 1 diabetes when Miles was diagnosed during an unexpected medical emergency, Teigen said in a Tuesday announcement. “We were confused and scared when Miles was first diagnosed,” she said in a statement. “There is no doubt in my mind that knowing in advance would have made a positive impact for Miles, me, and our entire family. I want everyone to hear me when I say: stay proactive and talk to your doctor about getting yourself or your loved ones screened for type 1 diabetes today!”   Teigen shared her family's story in a two-minute video on ScreenForType1.com, a Sanofi website that discusses how to get screened for the condition. Miles' diagnosis made Teigen feel like she “went from a mom to a doctor overnight,” she said. That experience is why Teigen said she is “begging you: Do this one thing, and screen yourself and your family for Type 1 diabetes.” https://www.fiercepharma.com/marketing/sanofi-signs-chrissy-teigen-diabetes-screening-campaign XX Dr. Richard Bernstein – best known for his advocacy around low carb diets for people with diabetes – died this week at the age of 90. Born in 1934 in Brooklyn, New York, he was diagnosed with type 1 at age 12. In the 1970s he adapted a blood glucose monitor for home use and helped pioneer home glucose monitoring. He published multiple books on Diabetes including the #1 selling Diabetes book on Amazon.Com “Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution: A Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars” and “Diabetes Type II: Living a Long, Healthy Life Through Blood Sugar Normalization”.  He practiced and saw patients right up until his death.

In this enlightening episode of Turn Down for Watt, we delve into the current landscape and future trajectory of electric vehicle (EV) charging funding. Joining us are two distinguished guests: Joshua Rodriguez, Program Director for Environment at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and Stacey Simms, Senior Director of Clean Fuels and Infrastructure at CALSTART.Joshua Rodriguez brings a wealth of experience in environmental management within transportation, offering insights into policy development and implementation strategies at the state and national levels.Stacey Simms oversees clean fuel and infrastructure programs at CALSTART, with a robust background that includes leading EV policy and incentive initiatives at 7-Eleven and spearheading clean transportation programs at Xcel Energy. Together, we explore the status of EV charging infrastructure funding, dissecting current challenges, opportunities, and the evolving role of public and private sectors. Our conversation aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of where the industry stands today and the pathways to a more electrified and sustainable transportation future.

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: Learning more about the FDA letter sent to Dexcom, news from ATTD including a bihormonal pump from a Dutch company, time in tight range update, more studies about using insulin and GLP-1 medications, eating chili to prevent gestational diabetes (really!) and more..  Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom   Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX Our top story this week: Dexcom Dive Brief: A warning letter posted Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration revealed quality control issues with Dexcom's continuous glucose monitors. The FDA raised concerns with a design change to a component used in the resistance layer of Dexcom's sensors. The sensors with the new component were less accurate than those with the original component, according to the warning letter. Dexcom has ceased distribution of G7 sensors with the component, but the company's response did not address affected G6 sensors. J.P. Morgan analyst Robbie Marcus wrote in a research note Tuesday that the letter concerns a chemical compound that the sensor wire is dipped in. Dexcom began producing the compound internally to add redundancy to its supply chain.   Dive Insight: Dexcom Chief Operating Officer Jake Leach said in an interview with MedTech Dive last week that the company does not expect the warning letter to affect future product approvals, including a 15-day version of its G7 CGM, and there's no need yet to recall products. Dexcom has submitted the device to the FDA and anticipates a launch in the second half of the year.   Marcus, after speaking to company leadership and a quality control expert, wrote that many of the issues outlined in the letter could be addressed quickly. He added that the warning letter could explain minor delays in approval to the 15-day sensor, but Dexcom is still within the 90-day window for a 510(k) submission.   “While there's always a risk this could impede future product approvals,” Marcus wrote, “we do not expect this to materially delay the 15 day G7 sensor approval.”   The warning letter followed an FDA inspection last year of Dexcom's facilities in San Diego and Mesa, Arizona. Marcus wrote that after the FDA requested additional information and a separate 510(k), Dexcom stopped in-sourcing the compound and reverted back to the external supplier.   Dexcom's devices were misbranded because the company did not submit a premarket notification to the FDA before making major changes to the sensors, according to the warning letter. The sensors with the changed coating “cause higher risks for users who rely on the sensors to dose insulin or make other diabetes treatment decisions,” the letter said.     The FDA raised other concerns in the warning letter, including procedures to monitor the glucose and acetaminophen concentrations used in testing of the G6 and G7 CGMs. The FDA also cited problems with Dexcom's handling last year of a deficiency in its G6 sensors with dissolved oxygen content values, a key input for measuring blood glucose levels. https://www.medtechdive.com/news/dexcom-warning-letter-cgm-coating-change/743597/ XX Lots of studies and info out of the recent ATTD conference. One highlight that has been sort of under the radar: a Dutch company has been using a Bihormonal fully closed-loop system for the treatment of type 1 diabetes in the real world. This is a company called Inreda (in-RAY-duh). The Inreda AP® is an automatic system (closed loop) and independently regulates the blood glucose level by administering insulin and glucagon. The AP5 is certified in Europe and is being used in multiple studies and projects. The AP®6 is currently under development. https://www.inredadiabetic.nl/en/discover-the-ap/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38443309/ XX Let's talk about time in tight range. If you follow me and diabetes connections on social, you likely saw a video I made about this – it blew up last week. If not.. time in range has been a metric for a short while now.. in 2019 there was a consensus report advising a goal of 70% of time in the 70-180 mg/dL range for most people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D), with modifications for certain subgroups. Recently we've been hearing more about 70-140 mg/dL — for longer periods as “time in tight range (TiTR).” At ATTD there was more talk about calling that range TING, or “time in normal glycemia.     There's a great writeup that I'll link up from the great Miriam Tucker on Medscape about a debate that happened at ATTD. On March 22, 2025, two endocrinologists debated this question at the Advanced Technologies & Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD) 2025. Anders L. Carlson, MD, medical director of the International Diabetes Center (IDC), Minneapolis, took the positive side, while Jeremy Pettus, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of California San Diego, who lives with T1D himself, argued that it's too soon.   https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/should-time-tight-range-be-primary-diabetes-goal-2025a100073q?form=fpf   XX Sequel Med Tech announces its twist pump will be firs paired with Abbott's FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus. The twist has FDA approval for ages 6 and up and is set to begin its commercial launch by the end of June. The pump—designed by inventor Dean Kamen's Deka Research & Development—also incorporates the FDA-cleared Tidepool Loop software program, to record CGM blood sugar readings, make predictions based on trends and adjust its background insulin levels accordingly. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/sequel-med-tech-connects-twiist-insulin-pump-abbotts-cgm-ahead-market-debut XX Dexcom's longer-lasting CGM sensor looks promising, based on study results presented at the conference. The trial showed that the new 15-day G7 system is slightly more accurate than the current G7. The accuracy of CGM can be measured using MARD (mean absolute relative difference), which shows the average amount a CGM sensor varies from your actual glucose levels (a lower number is better).  The 15-day G7 has a MARD value of 8.0%, about the same as the Abbott Freestyle Libre 3. The Dexcom G7 15 Day is awaiting FDA approval and is not yet available in the U.S.   XX Little bit of news from Modular Medical.. they plan to submit their patch pump to the FDA late summer or fall of this year. The MODD1 product, a 90-day patch pump, features new microfluidics technology to allow for the low-cost pumping of insulin. Its new intuitive design makes the product simple to use and easier to prescribe. It has a reservoir size of 300 units/3mL. Users can monitor the pump activity with their cell phone and do not require an external controller. The pump uses a provided, single-use, disposable battery. Modular Medical picked up FDA clearance for MODD1 in September. The company also raised $8 million to end 2024. Its founder, Paul DiPerna, previously founded leading insulin pump maker Tandem Diabetes Care. DiPerna invented and designed Tandem's t:slim pump. By developing its patented insulin delivery technologies, the company hopes to improve access to glycemic control. Its founder, Paul DiPerna, previously founded leading insulin pump maker Tandem Diabetes Care. DiPerna invented and designed Tandem's t:slim pump. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/modular-medical-announces-12m-private-placement/ XX More from attd – type 2 news? https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/biggest-diabetes-tech-news-attd-2025/ XX Another study that says people with type 1 who use a GLP-1 medication get better outcomes. In this study, those who use GLP-1 with insulin are 55% less likely to have a hyperglycemia-related ED visit, 26% less likely to have an amputation-related visit, and 29% less likely to have a diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)-related ED visit in the following year compared to those on insulin alone. Although they are not approved for T1D, some patients may receive them off-label or for weight control. Pretty big study for an off label drug: compared 7,010 adult patients with T1D who were prescribed GLP-1s and insulin to 304,422 adult patients with T1D who were on insulin alone.  It is important to note that the rates of new diabetic complications in one year for both groups were around 1%, indicating that these are uncommon outcomes regardless of medication use. https://www.epicresearch.org/articles/some-diabetic-complications-less-likely-among-type-1-diabetics-on-glp-1s   XX Early research here but exposure to antibiotics during a key developmental window in infancy may stunt the growth of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas and boost risk of diabetes later in life The study, is published this month in the journal Science, it's a study in mice. These researchers are working off the idea that when while identical twins share DNA that predisposes them to Type 1 diabetes, only one twin usually gets the disease. She explained that human babies are born with a small amount of pancreatic “beta cells,” the only cells in the body that produce insulin.   But some time in a baby's first year, a once-in-a-lifetime surge in beta cell growth occurs.   “If, for whatever reason, we don't undergo this event of expansion and proliferation, that can be a cause of diabetes,” Hill said.   They found that when they gave broad-spectrum antibiotics to mice during a specific window (the human equivalent of about 7 to 12 months of life), the mice developed fewer insulin producing cells, higher blood sugar levels, lower insulin levels and generally worse metabolic function in adulthood.   in other experiments, the scientists gave specific microbes to mice, and found that several they increased their production of beta cells and boosted insulin levels in the blood. When male mice that were genetically predisposed to Type 1 diabetes were colonized with the fungus in infancy, they developed diabetes less than 15% of the time. Males that didn't receive the fungus got diabetes 90% of the time. Even more promising, when researchers gave the fungus to adult mice whose insulin-producing cells had been killed off, those cells regenerated. Hill stresses that she is not “anti-antibiotics.” But she does imagine a day when doctors could give microbe-based drugs or supplements alongside antibiotics to replace the metabolism-supporting bugs they inadvertently kill.   .   “Historically we have interpreted germs as something we want to avoid, but we probably have way more beneficial microbes than pathogens,” she said. “By harnessing their power, we can do a lot to benefit human health.”     https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1078112 XX Future watch for something called BeaGL - created by researchers at the University of California Davis and UC Davis Health who were inspired by their own personal experiences with managing T1D.   BeaGL is designed to work with CGMs and has security-focused machine learning algorithms to make predictive alerts about anticipated glucose changes, which are sent to a device. In this case, a smartwatch. The end goal is for BeaGL to be completely automated to reduce the cognitive load on the patient, particularly for teens. It's still in research phase but six student with T1D have been using it for almost a year.     https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/with-ai-a-new-metabolic-watchdog-takes-diabetes-care-from-burden-to-balance/2025/02 XX Investigators are searching for a way forward after two long-term diabetes programs were terminated following the cancellation of their National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, the result of federal allegations that study coordinator Columbia University had inappropriately handled antisemitism on campus. The programs include the three-decades-old Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) and its offshoot, the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study (DPPOS). “We are reeling,” said David Nathan, MD, a previous chair of both the DPP and the DPPOS and an original leader of the landmark Diabetes Control and Complications Trial. Nathan is also founder of the Massachusetts General Hospital Diabetes Center in Boston, one of the 30 DPPOS sites in 21 states. On March 7, the Trump administration cancelled $400 million in awards to Columbia University from various federal agencies. While Columbia University agreed on March 21 to changes in policies and procedures to respond to the Trump administration's charges, in the hopes that the funding would be restored, DPPOS Principal Investigator Jose Luchsinger, MD, told Medscape Medical News that as of press time, the study was still cancelled. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/diabetes-prevention-program-cancellation-colossal-waste-2025a100076h XX XX Type 2 diabetes may quietly alter the brain in ways that mimic early Alzheimer's. This was only an animal study – but researchers say the high comorbidity of type 2 diabetes (T2D) with psychiatric or neurodegenerative disorders points to a need for understanding what links these diseases.   https://scitechdaily.com/how-diabetes-quietly-rewires-the-brains-reward-and-memory-system/ XX Eating chili once a month when you're pregnant seems to lower the risk of developing gestational diabetes. This is a real study! While chili showed a link to lower gestational diabetes risk, dried beans and bean soup had no significant effect, even among women who ate them more frequently. Some studies suggest that diets high in beans and legumes, including the Mediterranean diet, reduce GDM risk. While studies link beans to lower diabetes risk, their specific impact on GDM remains unclear. This study analyzed data from 1,397 U.S. pregnant women who participated in the Infant Feeding Practices Study II, conducted between 2005 and 2007. Chili consumption varied significantly by race, education, household size, income, supplemental nutrition status, and region. Non-Hispanic Black mothers consumed the most (0.33 cups/week), while those with higher income and education levels consumed less. Regional differences also influenced chili intake. One possible mechanism for chili's effect is capsaicin, a bioactive compound found in chili peppers, which has been linked to metabolic benefits in other studies. However, further research is needed to confirm this potential role in GDM prevention. Dried bean and bean soup consumption had no clear association with GDM. The study highlights limitations due to self-reported dietary data and the need for more detailed dietary measures. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250317/Could-a-little-spice-in-your-diet-prevent-gestational-diabetes.aspx XX

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: New drug is looked at for T1D prevention, a new stem cell method is tested for beta cell transplanation without immunosuppresion drugs, the FDA okays the first fast-acting biosimilar insulin, Lilly lowers price of Zepbound, and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links:   Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX New research in type 1 diabetes prevention launches. Nektar Therapeutics and TrialNet will evaluate a drug currently used for exzema for patients with new onset stage 3 type 1 diabetes The drug is RezPeg – that's a shortened version of the name (rezpegaldesleukin)   This will be a study of about 70 adults and children and will launch this year. The new study will use a mixed meal tolerance test (MMTT) to measure the efficacy of rezpegaldesleukin or placebo for preserving C-peptide area under the curve over a 12-month duration comprised of a 6-month treatment period and a 6-month follow-up. Secondary objectives include pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and additional disease assessments including HbA1c levels and patient insulin requirements. Rezpegaldesleukin is being developed as a self-administered injection for a number of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nektar-announces-clinical-trial-agreement-to-evaluate-rezpegaldesleukin-in-patients-with-new-onset-type-1-diabetes-mellitus-302383052.html XX NLS Pharmaceutics (NLSP) and Kadimastem announced successful completion of a pre-IND meeting with the FDA for iTOL-102, a potential diabetes treatment. iTOL-102 combines Kadimastem's IsletRx cells (stem cell-derived pancreatic islets) with iTolerance's immunomodulator iTOL-100, aiming to cure Type 1 Diabetes without requiring life-long immune suppression. The treatment was evaluated at the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine, where it demonstrated functional insulin release and disease reversal in animal models. Based on FDA feedback, the companies are updating plans for safety toxicology studies and First-in-Human clinical trials. IsletRx is a clinical-grade product comprising human pancreatic islet-like cells capable of secreting insulin, offering a scalable source of insulin-producing cells to address donor islet shortages. The technology can detect glucose levels and produce required amounts of insulin and glucagon.   XX FDA has signed off on a rapid-acting insulin biosimilar for the first time. The agency has given a thumbs up to Sanofi's Merilog (insulin-aspart-szjj) as the first biosimilar to Novo Nordisk's NovoLog for patients with diabetes. Merilog will be provided by prefilled pen in a 3 mL dose or in a multiple-dose 10 mL vial. It is for adults and pediatric patients age 6 and older.     NovoLog and Novo Nordisk's other rapid-acting insulin follow-on Fiasp are among the drugs subject to government price negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act. The new prices will be enacted at the start of next year. In July 2021, the FDA approved Biocon and Viatris' Semglee (insulin glargine-yfgn) as the first biosimilar to Lantus. Five months later, the U.S. regulator endorsed Eli Lilly's version of the drug, called Rezvoglar (insulin glargine-aglr). https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/fda-signs-sanofis-biosimilar-first-novo-nordisks-rapid-acting-novolog XX Eli Lilly said Tuesday that it will offer more doses of its obesity drug Zepbound in vials and lower the prices of the doses it already sells, as the pharma giant seeks to draw patients away from cheap, compounded copies of weight loss medications. The company launched 7.5 mg and 10 mg vials of tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Zepbound, which typically cost $599 and $699, respectively. However, they are now available for $499 per month for patients paying without insurance. This applies to the first fill and all refills that are delivered every 45 days. Additionally, the company lowered the prices of the 2.5 mg and 5 mg vials to $349 and $499 per month, respectively. The company, which has seen a significant boost in profits from Zepbound and Mounjaro – essentially the same drug with different FDA-approved uses – announced that the new vials and pricing are exclusively available through the company's self-pay pharmacy, LillyDirect Self Pay Pharmacy Solutions. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-25/zepbound-cost-for-vials-cut-to-battle-cheaper-copycats XX Medicare spending on 10 diabetes drugs, including popular GLP-1s, more than quadrupled over a five-year period and could reach $102 billion next year, an analysis by Health and Human Services' inspector general found. The findings also come as the Trump administration weighs the fate of a Biden administration proposal that would require Medicare and Medicaid to cover GLP-1s for weight loss. The biggest spikes in usage were for Rybelsus, Novo Nordisk's once-daily GLP-1 tablet, and for the company's weekly injectable Ozempic, whose spending about doubled every year under review. https://www.axios.com/2025/02/25/medicare-spending-surge-diabetes-drugs XX Tandem Diabetes Care has secured a new FDA clearance for its insulin dose-calculating algorithm, opening up Control IQ for use in adults with Type 2 diabetes. The expanded label was based on data from a pivotal, randomized trial of more than 300 people with Type 2 diabetes, comparing its use to manual multiple daily injections. Tandem said it plans to present the study's results at the annual Advanced Technologies & Treatments for Diabetes meeting scheduled for next month in Amsterdam. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/tandem-diabetes-care-insulin-dosing-algorithm-nets-fda-clearance-type-2-diabetes XX Drugs approved for diabetes and obesity might be useful for the treatment of cognitive and mental health disorders, according to a new paper published in Nature Mental Health.   The study reviewed and integrated data from both preclinical and clinical studies to gather evidence on the possible effects of these drugs GLP1s and semaglutide  in conditions such as dementia, substance use disorders, psychotic disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, and eating disorders.     The study found promising but still preliminary evidence that GLP-1RAs could be beneficial over a range of cognitive and mental health disorders. These drugs have shown potential in improving cognition, reducing addictive behavior, and alleviating depression and anxiety. More data from robustly designed studies (i.e., randomized controlled trials) are needed to better understand GLP-1RAs' prospective efficacy and safety profile, especially with long-term use. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-02-diabetes-drugs-mental-health-treatment.html XX The FDA  issued draft guidance that includes recommendations to support the development and marketing of safe and effective AI-enabled The guidance, if finalized, would be the first guidance to provide comprehensive recommendations for AI-enabled devices throughout the total product lifecycle, providing developers with an accessible set of considerations that tie together design, development, maintenance, and documentation recommendations to help ensure the safety and effectiveness of AI-enabled devices. FDA is requesting public comment on this draft guidance by April 7. The agency also released draft guidance for the use of AI to support regulatory decision-making for drug and biological products. https://www.mddionline.com/artificial-intelligence/fda-issues-draft-guidance-for-ai-enabled-devices-seeks-public-feedback XX Congrats to Mila Clarke who some of you may know better as Hangry Woman on social. She has developed a great app called Glucose Guide and the Nutrition Assistant portion of that app went live this week. Glucose Guide is a web and mobile app that offers diabetes meal tracking, coaching, resources, recipes and community to those looking for help managing diabetes. MEAL AND BLOOD SUGAR TRACKING FEATURES.

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: the FDA has a warning about smart phones and medical alerts, a few companies turn their attention to patch pumps, a new study looks at costs/benefits of CGM vs Fingerstick during pregnancy, T1D in the Super Bowl.. and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links:   Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX Big warning from the FDA about medical alerts from smart phones. They're warning that they've received multiple reports of users missing or not hearing important medical alerts from their phones, leading to cases of dangerously low blood sugar and even death. But the FDA warns that certain phone settings, such as pausing notifications, may cause patients to miss critical updates. In other cases, connecting the phone to a new audio source, such as a car stereo, could change the volume of the alerts users are accustomed to hearing. They have some recommendations to help, mostly just confirming alarms are working before you need them.. and I'll link up the full story in the show notes. Reading between the lines here, it seems like the problem here may be the thousands of unregulated apps that make health claims – not just for people with diabetes. So it's a good idea to check the apps you're using and the companies that make them. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/patients-using-diabetes-apps-can-miss-critical-alerts-heres-how-to-make-sure-youre-getting-them/ XX What costs less during pregnancy? CGM or finger sticks? In the real word, a new study says CGM costs less… Okay, first keep in mind that the cost savings here wasn't about the glucose monitoring supplies, it was about a lower rate of neonatal ICU admissions. In a base-case analysis in which researchers assumed all women would use seven finger sticks per day as dictated by the American Diabetes Association's guidelines for diabetes management in pregnancy, CGM had a higher per-person cost than SMBG. However, in a real-world analysis in which women with a CGM used three finger sticks per day and those performing SMBG used five finger sticks daily, CGM was more cost-effective. In the real-world analysis, CGM users had a per-person cost of $2,747 for the CGM, $988 for finger sticks and $9,973 for neonatal ICU admissions. For SMBG, finger sticks cost $1,647 and neonatal ICU admission costs were $12,876. The reduction in neonatal ICU admission rates with CGM use led to a mean cost savings of $2,903 in the real-world analysis. “These findings justify paying for CGM devices in type 1 diabetes pregnancies, even in the U.S., which has an expensive health care system,” Polsky said future research should focus on the cost-effectiveness of automated insulin delivery systems in pregnancy.   “Automated insulin delivery use has been shown to improve glycemic outcomes in type 1 diabetes pregnancies, but it is still unclear if it improves maternal or neonatal health outcomes and if it would be cost-beneficial,” Polsky said. https://www.healio.com/news/endocrinology/20250205/cgm-may-lead-to-lower-health-care-costs-for-pregnant-women-with-type-1-diabetes   XX Couple of interesting comments from Medtronic at the recent JP Morgan Chase conference. The CEO says he company is “mainly a type 1 business, moving into type 2,”  He says stated that their patch pumps program remains dynamic.. Medtronic expects its 800-series pump to come in at around half the size of the latest-generation 780G. The post says the company plans for a pivotal study in 2025. Potential features could include extended reservoirs and extended-wear sets, plus a brand-new Android/iOS app. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/medtronic-next-gen-insulin-pumps-coming/ XX Beta Bionics also says they're working on a tubeless patch that they plan to launch in 2027. The company reported the device has two parts. One reusable component holds the electronics that operate the device and motor. A second disposable part includes an adhesive patch, insulin reservoir, insertion device, and the cannula used to deliver insulin. Beta Bionics said the pump is planned for use in people with type 1 diabetes and later will expand its use for people with type 2. The company also reported it is continuing work on an AID system that would, in addition to using insulin to lower blood sugar, also contain glucagon to raise blood sugar. Research is being conducted into dual-hormone systems, but none are available yet for people with diabetes. https://diatribe.org/diabetes-technology/tech-watch-diabetes-tech-news XX New approval for the treatment of diabetic macular edema. Susvimo is the “first and only FDA-approved treatment shown to maintain vision in people with DME with fewer treatments than standard-of-care eye injections,” the release said. This is the second indication for Susvimo, which is also approved for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration. https://www.healio.com/news/ophthalmology/20250204/fda-approves-susvimo-for-diabetic-macular-edema XX How about this one… drinking ketones improves heart health, a new small-scale study from the University of Portsmouth has found. This is the first time people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) have been given a drink with ketone esters - a supplement that is meant to plunge your system into ketosis - to monitor the effect on the heart. Ketosis is the metabolic state where your body is forced to burn fats instead of carbohydrates. but more research is needed because we only assessed participants on the day, which means we have no idea what the chronic impact of drinking ketones would be." The study was carried out after research showed  The drug SGLT2i was used to lower glucose in patients with diabetes and longitudinal studies were showing that it was inadvertently protecting the heart. The hypothesis was that the drug induces ketosis and the heart was using ketones, which improved heart health, but the evidence for this was limited so our research set out to prove the connection." https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250205/Drinking-ketones-improves-heart-health-for-people-with-type-2-diabetes.aspx XX Another pump wants into the EU. Modular Medical looks to obtain a CE mark in the first quarter of 2026. The patch pump, MODD1, got FDA clearance last fall. The company says it will be available early this year.. but I haven't heard much about it since the approval.   https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/modular-medical-step-forward-ce-mark/ XX New CGM system with a reusable applicator and rechargeable wearable transmitter moves forward. Trinity Biotech announced new pre-pivotal clinical data. This company is based in Ireland and is looking for iCGM approval down the road.. hoping to file with the FDA in 2026. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/trinity-biotech-expects-submit-cgm-fda-2026/ XX Body-weight cycling (also known as yo-yo dieting) has been shown to significantly increase the risk of kidney disease in people with type 1 diabetes, regardless of body mass index (BMI) and other traditional risk factors. This is a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Participants with greater weight fluctuations experienced a 40% decline in kidney health from baseline values https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250204/Yo-yo-dieting-found-to-harm-kidney-health-in-type-1-diabetes-patients.aspx XX Eli Lilly's profit doubled in the fourth quarter, propelled by its hot-selling diabetes and obesity treatments, and the drugmaker came out with a mostly better-than-expected 2025 forecast. Overall, Lilly's quarterly profit swelled to $4.41 billion. https://apnews.com/article/eli-lilly-fourth-quarter-mounjaro-zepbound-ca026922525a9e3abb1b75d329628bef XX Abbott starts a new campaign all about bias and misconceptions when it comes to diabetes. I'm excited that they seem to have worked here with the Behavioral Diabetes Institute. Nearly 70% believe there is stigma associated with their condition.1 Diabetes as a Punchline: 85% of people living with diabetes say they have seen inaccuracies about diabetes in the media, including on TV shows, movies, and social media, and 40% of people felt that diabetes is often used as the punchline of a joke.1 Abbott's new Above the Bias initiative aims to help others see the world from the perspective of someone living with diabetes. The initiative builds upon efforts by several diabetes organizations, patient advocacy groups, and experts that continue to work to reduce stigma about diabetes.3 People can learn more about Above the Bias and watch the film at AboveBias.com. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/abbotts-above-the-bias-film-reveals-misconceptions-can-impact-diabetes-care-302367723.html   -- When you watch the Super Bowl this weekend, watch for Noah Grey. .he's the Kansas City Chiefs tight end who backs up Travis Kelce and he's lived with type 1 since age 18. Grey spoke to media this week about how he loves to interact with kids who have T1D and their shared love of fruit gummies to treat lows. (sound here) Grey has been an ambassador for Tandem Diabetes and has talked about how he unhooks the pump but keeps his Dexcom on for games.   https://www.yahoo.com/news/noah-gray-talks-helping-kids-010013649.html https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/duke/article299730324.html   -- I want to take a moment to personally send my love and sympathy to the Gaskins family. These are the folks behind the amazing Macey's Believer's charity. Janice Gaskins passed away this week after a long fight with breast cancer. I've been reading all of the posts on her Facebook page – this is a woman who touched and changed a lot of lives.. so much for the better. May her memory be a blessing. Her life certainly was.

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: Dexcom updates investors on its 15-day sensor, TrialNet marks a big anniversary, Beta Bionics goes public, NFL fans support Mark Andrews and much more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX Couple of quick updates from the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference. Dexcom's CEO Kevin Sayer expects to launch a 15-day sensor in the second half of the year. That's in front of the FDA right now. Competitor Abbott currently has 15-day sensors with its Freestyle Libre 2 Plus and Freestyle Libre 3 Plus devices, which the FDA cleared in 2023. Sayer also talked about expanded insurance coverage for the G7, to include more people with type 2. They haven't pursued that with Stelo, the OTC version of their sensors. The company has begun work on a next-generation CGM. Sayer said the sensor will be smaller, less expensive and include better electronics. Dexcom is also studying new sensor probes, one of which can support multiple analytes, such as measuring lactate or ketones in addition to insulin.   https://www.medtechdive.com/news/dexcom-ceo-stelo-otc-strategy-jp-morgan/737424/ XX TrialNet reaches a big milestone – more than a quarter million people have learned their risk of developing T1D through screening. TrialNet screening is available to family members of those diagnosed with T1D. Having a family history of the disease places individuals at a 15 times greater risk than those with no family members with T1D. Over the course of VUMC's 18 years participating in the program, the community of T1D patients has become increasingly more engaged with research efforts. More than ever, there is an eagerness to give back to others by participating in clinical trials that could help revolutionize care for those diagnosed with or at risk of developing T1D. In such trials, TrialNet typically takes drugs already shown to be effective in treating other autoimmune diseases and seeks to determine their efficacy in treating, delaying or preventing T1D.   Spencer Mannahan, a 10-year-old patient at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, is participating in a TrialNet study that is looking to determine whether a treatment regimen using both rituximab and abatacept can preserve insulin production in patients newly diagnosed with T1D. Russell, one of the PIs for the study (Protocol TN-25), also treated Spencer's father, Zach, when he was diagnosed with T1D as a child. She enrolled in a different TrialNet study (Protocol TN-31) examining the effect of abrocitinib and ritlecitinib on insulin production in newly diagnosed individuals. While the possibility exists that her insulin production could be preserved, O'Neal joined the study because it presented an opportunity to make a positive impact on future patients.     These clinical trials support TrialNet's goal of a future without T1D. Research is underway on new methods of blocking the advance of T1D in patients with diabetes-related antibodies. One study will investigate whether T cells that have been activated against insulin can be specifically targeted, rather than issuing a treatment that targets all the body's T cells (thus rendering the patient immunocompromised).   TrialNet, the largest clinical trial network assembled to change the course of Type 1 diabetes, is funded by the National Institutes of Health through grant number NCT00097292.   For more information about screening for Type 1 diabetes risk if it runs in your family, contact info@trialnet.org, visit www.trialnet.org, or contact the Vanderbilt Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet Program at 615-936-8638. https://news.vumc.org/2025/01/22/milestone-in-vumc-affiliated-diabetes-screening-and-research-program-underscores-impact-of-clinical-trials/   XX Another study links air pollution to type 2 diabetes. This is from Wayne State University, and established a robust association between exposure to benzene, a prevalent airborne volatile organic compound, and insulin resistance in humans across all ages. “In this study, we exposed mice to benzene to see how it affects their blood glucose levels and energy expenditure,” she explained. “Our research revealed that within seven days of exposure, they developed high blood glucose insulin levels.” https://today.wayne.edu/medicine/news/2025/01/23/study-links-air-pollution-exposure-to-type-2-diabetes-susceptibility-65321 XX Adults with overweight or obesity and type 2 diabetes who are given the sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor drug dapagliflozin alongside moderate calorie restriction achieve much higher rates of remission compared with calorie restriction alone. The researchers say this study provides a practical strategy to achieve remission for patients with early type 2 diabetes. As well as helping to lower blood sugar levels, SGLT-2 inhibitors can also lead to weight loss, but their effect alongside calorie restriction on diabetes remission has not yet been investigated in a randomised controlled trial.   To address this, researchers carried out a trial involving 328 patients with type 2 diabetes of less than six years' duration at 16 centres in mainland China from 12 June 2020 to 31 January 2023.   Participants were aged 20-70 years with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 and were not taking any anti-diabetic medication other than metformin. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250123/Dapagliflozin-and-calorie-restriction-show-higher-remission-rates-in-type-2-diabetes.aspx XX Beta Bionics has set the terms for its plan to go public, with a goal of raising at least $114 million to support its artificial pancreas system for people with Type 1 diabetes. That's as we're recroding, it's likely they will have begun trading on the NASDAQ by now.. the ticker is BBNX. Beta Bionics' iLet system was first cleared by the FDA for people ages six and up with Type 1 diabetes in May 2023. The Fierce Medtech Fierce 15 winner has since expanded its blood sugar sensor compatibility to include Abbott's FreeStyle Libre and Dexcom's G6 and G7 platforms. The company also said it plans to pursue new clinical studies and an FDA clearance that would enable the iLet's use among people with Type 2 diabetes. The ultmite goal is to have a dual-chambered pump with both insulin and glucagon.. but I didn't find anything about that in the articles about this IPO.. I followed up with Beta Bionics and they told me that the dual chambered pump is still very much the goal. Not sure why most of the publications left that out.. but good to hear. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/artificial-pancreas-maker-beta-bionics-aims-raise-120m-nasdaq-ipo XX Large new study estimates the size of the current US population with type 1 diabetes and project growth over the next ten years. They say about 2 million live with type 1.. about 1.79 million adults and 290-thousand children. Growth in the ten years is predicted to be about 10% https://jheor.org/article/124604 XX The American Diabetes Association® (ADA) teams up with Xeris Pharmaceuticals® makers of Gvoke – ready to use emergency glucagon. It is estimated that up to 46% of people with type 1 diabetes and 21% of those with type 2 diabetes using insulin experience at least one severe hypoglycemia event each year.2 The ADA, with support from Xeris, seeks to rectify the low rates of appropriate glucagon prescriptions by developing education materials and training resources for health care professionals and people living with diabetes, as well as through a national awareness campaign to educate people on who is at risk for severe hypoglycemia and should have glucagon, preferably ready-to-use, as a safety net. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-american-diabetes-association-and-xeris-pharmaceuticals-announce-national-collaboration-to-provide-life-saving-hypoglycemia-education-and-awareness-302355703.html XX XX Wearing a CGM makes pharmacy students better at counseling patients. New study randomly assigned students to wear a CGM during lab sessions.. those who did had a higher average counseling score during the encounter with a patient and a higher overall confidence score. There was also a statistically significant positive correlation between average confidence and average empathy, and empathy and counseling performance. https://www.drugtopics.com/view/hands-on-cgm-training-helps-student-pharmacists-prepare-for-career XX Mark Andrews Bills Mafia Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews received a host of negative attention after flubbing a potential game-tying two-point conversion in Sunday night's loss to the Buffalo Bills.   In the face of the online rage, Bills Mafia is again showing some support.   Bills fan Nicholas Howard kicked off a GoFundMe to back Breakthrough T1D, a global Type 1 diabetes research organization that Andrews has supported.   "As many of you know, Ravens TE wasn't able to catch the game-tying 2-point conversion and upset Ravens fans," Howard wrote. "On top of that, the TE has been receiving death threats and nasty comments after his performance last night. We want Bills Mafia to donate to Marks charity for [Type 1] diabetes."   As of Wednesday morning, the fund raised more than $50,000 for the charity.   Related Links Lamar Jackson, Ravens bemoan missed opportunities in loss to Bills, defend Mark Andrews Ravens WR Zay Flowers: Missing 2024 playoff run due to injury 'took a little toll on me' Biggest winners and losers from Sunday's Divisional Round NFL playoff games The Ravens thanked Bills fans for supporting Andrews.     "Shout out to Bills Mafia for showing support to our guy Mark Andrews and donating to the [BreakthroughT1D] organization, which works towards curing and improving the lives of those dealing with Type 1 diabetes," the club posted.   Andrews was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a child, an autoimmune disease for which there is currently no cure. He's one of several NFL players diagnosed with Type 1 -- Kansas City Chiefs tight end Noah Gray is another.   "Breakthrough T1D [formerly JDRF] greatly appreciates the generosity of the Buffalo Bills community and the many fans who were compelled to donate after Sunday's game," the organization said in a statement to ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg. "These donations will support research and advocacy on behalf of the 1.6 million Americans who, like Mark Andrews, live with type 1 diabetes."   It's not the first time that Bills fans have donated to the cause of a non-Buffalo player. Back in January 2018, Buffalo fans famously donated to the charity of former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton after his win over Baltimore helped Buffalo make its first playoff appearance in nearly two decades. Over and over again, Bills Mafia has shown it will support a good cause when some spew hate. https://www.nfl.com/news/bills-fans-supporting-ravens-te-mark-andrews-after-drop-by-donating-to-type-1-diabetes-research

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: Sana announces beta cell transplantation without the need for immunosuppresion drugs, Modular Medical teams up with Nudge BG for a brand new completely closed-loop system, the FDA moves forward to crack down on compounded Ozempic and Mounjaro, Dexcom and Abbott bury the legal hatchett for a while, and more.  Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links:     Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX Big news from Sana Biotechnology. Their first in human study of islet cells without any immunosuppression appears to be a success. This is very early and hasn't yet been peer reviewed and published.. but after four weeks, there were no safety issues and the transplanted beta cells were producing insulin. Sana's CEO says  “As far as we are aware, this is the first study showing survival of an allogeneic transplant with no immunosuppression or immune-protective device in a fully immune competent individual. Safe cell transplantation without immunosuppression has the potential to transform the treatment of type 1 diabetes and a number of other diseases.”   I've reached out to Sana to get more on this.. love to talk to them soon.   https://www.bakersfield.com/ap/news/sana-biotechnology-announces-positive-clinical-results-from-type-1-diabetes-study-of-islet-cell/article_d0390fd6-99cb-53bd-b04d-9337121e01bf.html XX FDA says no for sotagliflozin as an adjunct to insulin therapy for glycemic control in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).  Studies showed a meaningful reduction in A1C but a meaningful increase in DKA. The FDA first rejected this in 2019 and was resubmitted last summer. But The advisory committee voted 11 to 3 against the approval of sotagliflozin stating that the benefits of sotagliflozin do not outweight the risks in adults with T1D and CKD. Sotagliflozin is currently approved under the brand name Inpefa to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, hospitalization for heart failure, and urgent heart failure visit in adults with 1) heart failure; or 2) type 2 diabetes mellitus, CKD, and other cardiovascular risk factors.  According to Lexicon, Inpefa will continue to be manufactured and made available to patients. https://www.renalandurologynews.com/news/fda-denies-approval-of-zynquista-for-type-1-diabetes-and-ckd/ XX Two companies we've been following are teaming up.. Modular Medical has an FDA clear patch pump and Nudge BG has an adaptive full closed loop. They've announced a new partnership agreement. From the release: Modular Medical's easy-to-use and cost-effective MODD1 insulin pump technology. Our combined system is intended to nudge blood glucose by making small changes to insulin delivery based on estimated glucose inputs from a continuous glucose monitor." Familiar name to some of you, Lane Desborough is the founder of Nudge BG. He says this will be a fully automated system, no mealtime bolusing needed.   https://www.accesswire.com/957703/modular-medical-announces-licensing-and-partnership-agreement-with-nudge-bg XX Beta Bionics filed for an initial public offering on Monday. The company did not disclose the number of shares it will offer or the price range. Beta Bionics plans for shares to be listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “BBNX.” The Irvine, California-based company makes an insulin pump called the iLet Bionic Pancreas, which was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration in 2023. Beta Bionics plans to use the proceeds to grow its sales and manufacturing infrastructure and develop new features for its device.   https://www.medtechdive.com/news/beta-bionics-insulin-pump-files-ipo/736805/     XX Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. signed a multi-year collaboration agreement with the University of Virginia Center for Diabetes Technology (UVA) to advance research and development efforts on fully automated closed-loop insulin delivery systems.   There's a long history here – UVA is where the Control IQ algorithm was developed.  This agreement seems to keep the team together for another decade. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250107162995/en/Tandem-Diabetes-Care-Enters-Multi-Year-Research-Collaboration-with-UVA-Center-for-Diabetes-Technology-for-Development-of-Advanced-Insulin-Delivery-Systems XX New study says insulin is still the best treatment for gestational diabetes, compared to oral glucose-lowering medications. Metformin and gluburide are being closely looked at since they're easier to administer, less costly, and have better acceptance among patients. But this study says insulin was a bit better – slight more babies were born larger for the metformin group, and more moms had hypoglycemia. https://www.medpagetoday.com/obgyn/pregnancy/113651 XX In its Citizen Petition to the FDA, Novo Nordisk argued that there is no clinical need to allow compounding for liraglutide, the type 2 diabetes injection it sells as Victoza. Novo Nordisk last month filed a Citizen Petition with the FDA asking the federal agency to exclude its type 2 diabetes injection Victoza (liraglutide) from a proposed list of drugs eligible for compounding. https://www.biospace.com/fda/novo-launches-citizen-petition-to-block-compounded-victoza XX Bit of an update on compounded terzepatide and semaglutide. The FDA is allowing a grace period of 60 days before starting to enforce the end of allowing compounds of Mounjaro. Meanwhile, semaglutide remains on the FDA's shortage list for several dose strengths, though all doses have been reported as “available” since late October 2024. Compounding pharmacies, especially larger 503B “outsourcing facilities,” maintain they provide an essential public service by offering lower-cost versions of medications that can cost over $1,000 per month. Many insurers still refuse to cover brand-name GLP-1 products for weight loss. Yet  the FDA has reported hundreds of adverse event reports allegedly linked to compounded versions of these drugs, which do not undergo the same rigorous manufacturing inspections and clinical testing as approved brands.   https://www.drugdiscoverytrends.com/compounders-and-drugmakers-clash-over-compounded-weight-loss-drugs-with-fda-in-the-middle/ XX Interesting story here.. this study says a fecal transplant can help people with type 1 and severe gastroenteropathy. The researchers say diabetic gastroenteropathy commonly affects individuals with type 1 diabetes, causing debilitating symptoms like nausea, vomiting, bloating, and diarrhea; however, treatment options remain limited. Researchers conducted a novel clinical trial to test the benefits of FMT in adult patients with type 1 diabetes and severe symptoms of gastroenteropathy, who were randomly assigned to receive either FMT or placebo capsules as the first intervention. After four weeks, Compared with placebo, FMT led to significant changes in the diversity of the gut microbiome. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/fmt-shows-early-success-type-1-diabetes-bowel-issues-2025a10000bg XX A couple of weeks ago, listeners told me that the Dexcom geofencing issue we reported on seems to be resolved. Dexcom is now confirming this. Previously, if you had an issue with Dexcom G7 outside of your home country, you couldn't reinstall or use the app without customer support. As of last month, the geofencing issue has now been resolved with the latest Dexcom G7 2.6 app update. Can I travel with my Dexcom G7? | Dexcom XX Abbott and Dexcom settled all patent lawsuits related to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). The two competitors, who lead the U.S. market for CGMs, agreed on Dec. 20 to resolve all outstanding patent disputes and not sue each other over patents for 10 years.   Dexcom and Abbott previously reached a settlement in 2014 related to their diabetes devices, which included a cross-licensing deal and an agreement not to sue each other until 2021. After that agreement expired, the companies filed a volley of patent lawsuits. https://www.medtechdive.com/news/abbott-dexcom-settle-cgm-patent-lawsuits/736300/  

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: Mannkind releases info about it's Afrezza pediatric studies, Dexcom launches AI tech with Stelo, Health Canada approves Tandem/Dexcom G7, diabetes drug may help sleep apnea, an app in development to help drivers with T1D and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX Mannkid expects to talk to the FDA about Afrezza inhaled insulin for pediatric approval early in 2025. The company just announced six-month results from its Phase 3 INHALE-1 study of kids aged 4-17 with type 1 or type 2 diabetes comparing either inhaled pre-meal insulin or multiple daily injections (MDI) of rapid-acting insulin analog, both in combination with basal insulin. A 26-week extension phase in which all remaining MDI patients were switched to inhaled insulin is ongoing. HbA1c change over 26 weeks exceeded the prespecified non-inferiority margin of 0.4% (0.435%), largely driven by the variability of a single patient who did not adhere to the study protocol. A modified ITT (mITT) analysis, which excluded this subject, did not exceed the predetermined threshold of 0.4% (0.370%), thereby establishing the non-inferiority of Afrezza to MDI, which was the primary endpoint of the study. Over 26 weeks of treatment, there were no differences in lung function parameters between the treatment groups, There were no differences between groups or concerns in other safety measures, including hypoglycemia. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/inhaled-insulin-benefits-kids-diabetes-too-2024a1000nex   XX Dexcom announces the use of AI for its Stelo platform. The company says the new Dexcom GenAI platform will analyze individual health data patterns to reveal a direct association between lifestyle choices and glucose levels while providing actionable insights to help improve metabolic health. Stelo users will start seeing the features this week. The AI is modeled after Google Cloud's Vertex AI and Gemini models. We'll hear more about this in January – Dexcom will be part of a panel at the Consumer Electronics Show about AI and healthcare. BTW this press release is the first time I've seen what seems to be a new slogan for Dexcom – Discover What You're Made Of. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241217011997/en/Dexcom-Launches-the-First-Generative-AI-Platform-in-Glucose-Biosensing XX Staying with Dexcom, users report that the geofencing issue we reported on seems to be resolved. Previously, if you had an issue with Dexcom G7 outside of your home country, you couldn't reinstall or use the app without customer support. With the latest iOS and Android G7 apps, this seems to be resolved. This is according to the folks in the DIY community who first brought it to my attention.   XX Interesting insulin development to watch. Egypt approves EVA Pharma's insulin drug products, which is a collbaration between Eli llly and EVA, an Egyptian company. The Egyptian Drug Authority approved the insulin glargine injection manufactured by EVA Pharma through a collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY). Launched in 2022, the collaboration aims to deliver a sustainable supply of high-quality, affordable human and analog insulin to at least one million people annually living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), most of which are in Africa.   Lilly has been supplying its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for insulin to EVA Pharma at a significantly reduced price and providing pro-bono technology transfer to enable EVA Pharma to formulate, fill and finish insulin vials and cartridges. This collaboration is part of the Lilly 30x30 initiative, which aims to improve access to quality health care for 30 million people living in resource-limited settings annually by 2030. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lilly-and-eva-pharma-announce-regulatory-approval-and-release-of-locally-manufactured-insulin-in-egypt-302333269.html     XX Can we add treating sleep apnea to the list of applications for terzepatide? That's the generic for Zepbound and Mounjaro. Phase 3 study shows that 10- and 15-milligram injections of Zepbound "significantly reduced the apnea-hypopnea index" among those who have obesity and moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea. Eli Lilly said there was nearly a 20% reduction in weight among those in the trials. The company said it plans to submit its findings to the Food and Drug Administration and other global regulatory agencies beginning mid-year. https://www.aol.com/popular-weight-loss-drug-could-131507702.html   XX Health Canada okays Tandem's tslim X2 with Dexcom G7 and G6 making it the first and only insulin pump in Canada that is integrated with both Dexcom sensors. Now, t:slim X2 users in Canada can experience even more choice when it comes to CGM compatibility, along with the option to spend more time in closed loop with Dexcom G7's 30-minute sensor warm-up time, faster than any other CGM on the market.3 In addition, t:slim X2 users who pair Dexcom G7 with an Apple smartwatch4 can see their glucose numbers directly from their watch without having to access their pump or smartphone4. Tandem will email all in-warranty t:slim X2 users in Canada with instructions on how to add the new compatibility feature free of charge via remote software update. t:slim X2 pumps pre-loaded with the updated software will begin shipping to new customers in early January 2025.   To check coverage and start the process of getting a Tandem insulin pump, please visit tandemdiabetes.ca. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241210731189/en/Tandem-tslim-X2-Insulin-Pump-Now-Compatible-with-Dexcom-G7-CGM-in-Canada XX A federal jury on Tuesday awarded Insulet $452 million in its patent skirmish with EOFlow over insulin patch pumps. The jury awarded Insulet $170 million in compensatory damages from EOFlow and an additional $282 million in exemplary damages for willful and malicious misappropriation. A judge has not yet entered a judgment on the decision. Insulet filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in 2023, claiming EOFlow copied patented components of its Omnipod insulin pumps. In October 2023, the Massachusetts district court issued a preliminary injunction against EOFlow. Following that decision, Medtronic called off plans to buy EOFlow for about $738 million.   A federal appeals court later overturned the preliminary injunction, and EOFlow resumed selling its devices in Europe. The company recently defended against a separate injunction filed by Insulet in Europe's Unified Patent Court, according to Korea Biomedical Review, an online English newspaper based in Seoul, South Korea.   The Massachusetts jury found this week that EOFlow and CEO Jesse Kim, as well as two of three former Insulet employees who were named as defendants in the lawsuit, misappropriated Insulet's trade secrets.   Insulet CEO Jim Hollingshead said the company is “extremely pleased with the jury's verdict.” EOFlow did not immediately respond to a request for comment. https://www.medtechdive.com/news/insulet-eoflow-jury-verdict-patent-lawsuit/734745/ XX A tele-education program for health care providers who treat people with diabetes resulted in significant improvements in patient outcomes, including better blood sugar levels and increased use of medical devices to manage the disease, a University of Florida study finds. Led by researchers in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions and the UF College of Medicine, the program used the Extension for Community Health Care Outcomes model, which has been adopted worldwide to train clinicians who treat patients with a variety of conditions. Known as Project ECHO, this is one of the first to demonstrate patient benefits for the program in a large, randomized trial. The findings appear in the journal Diabetes Care. https://ufhealth.org/news/2024/clinician-training-program-leads-to-better-outcomes-for-patients-with-diabetes XX New app under development to make driving safer for people with diabetes. Diabetes Driving Pal says it will use CGM data and guide you while you are driving without any annoying alerts. Guidance/suggestions will be on your car dashboard so that you don't have to look at phone and it will be very individualized and actionable. In a study last year, ~70% of people have reported (5% reported accident) to have at least one low blood sugar while driving and most reported that CGM alerts were not enough to protect them. We are hoping to start beta testing in a few months. We are trying to raise the fund to develop this product. We need your support. For more information, please visit: https://lnkd.in/gTDhnDc4 XX I'm also going to link to the top ten most read diabetes and endocrinology stories of 2024 from Medscape. This is almost all GLP-1 related.. and mostly for people with type 2. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/icymi-top-10-diabetes-endocrinology-stories-2024-2024a1000n6u?&icd=login_success_email_match_fpf XX That's it for the last In the News of 2024! Don't miss out episode next week with a look ahead to what we're watching in 2025. I'm SS I'll see you back here soon…

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: A push to change the defined stages of T1D, InsuJet is approved in Canada, new study linked T2D and dementia, new drug looked at to prevent hypoglycemia, big honors for a T1D author and more! Our interview with Clare Edge here.  Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links:     Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX   The understanding of type 1 has changed a lot in the last 10-15 years, specifically with the definition of stages of the disease. Now some researchers suggest the current 2015 model is ready for another update. University of Florida Health diabetes researchers and collaborators last week issued a call to action in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, urging the development of a more precise method of calculating type 1 diabetes risk. Under the current staging system, this is Stage 1 of the disease, when a patient does not yet have elevated blood sugar but has two or more of these autoantibodies in the blood. Stage 2 is diagnosed when blood sugar begins to rise, indicating a dysfunctional pancreas in a patient who does not yet have clinical type 1 diabetes. That comes in Stage 3 with high blood sugar and, eventually, the classic symptoms of the disease, including frequent urination, weight loss and fatigue. Jacobsen, however, said the staging system requires more precision. This is especially important as the current staging model determines if a patient is eligible to receive a drug therapy called teplizumab, the only Food and Drug Administration-approved medication that can delay the onset of type 1 diabetes by an average of two years. The staging system, however, does not include a patient's age and these researchers say additional markers that would be important to consider include a greater array of abnormal metabolic measures beyond blood sugar and the presence of more autoantibodies.   https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/healthcare/2024/12/04/uf-health-scientists-propose-update-to-type-1-diabetes-staging-system/76734459007/ XX A product called InsuJet gets approval in Canada. Made by NuGen Medical Devices, InsuJet™ is a needle-free injection system. It's already approved for sale in 42 countries – not yet the US. Their website says InsuJet's jet-injected fluid penetrates the skin through a small orifice of a special nozzle, creating a thin, high pressure stream. This way, insulin doesn't remain around the place of injection, like it does with a needle. Instead, with InsuJet, the insulin is deposited into the subcutaneous tissue where it's easily absorbed and acts faster– saving you money, time, and discomfort.   https://finance.yahoo.com/news/nugen-announces-canada-wide-launch-221500674.html XX Individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before the age of 50 may be at a higher risk of developing dementia later in life. A study led by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, says the risk is notably greater among adults with obesity. Type 2 diabetes is a known risk factor for dementia. Although the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, scientists think that some of the hallmarks of diabetes—such as high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and inflammation—may encourage the development of dementia in the brain.     The researchers note that this greater understanding of the connection between diabetes onset, obesity, and dementia may help inform targeted interventions to prevent dementia. https://scitechdaily.com/diagnosed-young-with-diabetes-your-dementia-risk-may-be-higher/ XX Embecta is out of the insulin patch pump business – just months after getting the ok from the FDA. Embecta received FDA clearance for its insulin patch pump in September. The device is indicated for people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and includes a 300-unit insulin reservoir to support people with higher daily insulin needs. However, the version Embecta received clearance for was an open-loop patch pump, where users manually control insulin delivery, while the firm's goal was to develop a closed-loop version, which automatically delivers insulin when needed. The CEO also expects competition in closed-loop devices for people with Type 2 diabetes to intensify, with Insulet receiving FDA clearance for its Omnipod 5 patch pump for Type 2 diabetes in August. https://www.medtechdive.com/news/embecta-discontinue-patch-pump/734059/ XX Sanofi invests in a company developing a new drug to prevent hypoglycemia. We reported on Zucara Therapeutics back in 2022 and they've been moving ahead with ZT-01. ZT-01 is a medication being developed to help prevent dangerous low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) by fixing how the body normally fights it. In people without diabetes, a hormone called glucagon is released to raise blood sugar when it gets too low. But in people with insulin-dependent diabetes, like type 1 diabetes or some forms of type 2 diabetes, this process doesn't work well because another hormone, somatostatin (SST), blocks glucagon from being released. ZT-01 works by blocking the effects of somatostatin, allowing the body to release more glucagon when it's needed. This could help people with diabetes avoid severe low blood sugar episodes.   https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zucara-therapeutics-announces-strategic-investment-from-sanofi-as-part-of-us20-million-series-b-financing-302301820.html XX Omnipod 5 is now compatible with the FreeStyle Libre 2 plus. The company says the recent development “ makes Omnipod 5 the most connected tubeless AID system in the U.S.” It's already compatible with Dexcom's G6 and G7 CGMs. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241120268759/en/Insulet-Announces-Omnipod%C2%AE-5-System-is-Now-Compatible-with-Abbott%E2%80%99s-FreeStyle-Libre-2-Plus-Sensor-in-the-U.S. XX A new study involving 11 clinical centers across the United States aims to uncover how type 1 diabetes (T1D) impacts brain health and cognitive function in children. Led by the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, this is a five-year study to explore critical questions about how environmental, lifestyle, social and clinical factors affect brain development during childhood — a period crucial for cognitive growth. https://www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/new-study-to-explore-impact-of-type-1-diabetes-on-children-s-brain-development XX Dexcom looking to partner with smart ring company Oura. Originally launched to track sleep patterns, the latest Oura technology collects more than 20 biometrics ranging from heart rate and activity metrics to sleep and body temperature monitoring. The companies say the new partnership is intended to provide users with seamless integration between the two ecosystems so shared users can track their glucose levels and understand the impact of behaviors and biology on their metabolic health. https://www.forbes.com/sites/saibala/2024/11/29/smart-ring-maker-oura-hits-5-billion-in-valuation--strikes-major-partnership-with-dexcom/ XX   WEDNESDAY, Dec. 4, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Taking even high doses of supplementary vitamin D won't lower an older person's odds for type 2 diabetes, new research confirms. They published their findings Dec. 2 in the journal Diabetologia. The new research followed on data from other studies that had suggested that people with especially low levels of vitamin D might face a higher risk for diabetes. That was true for people who were already prediabetic, especially. To find out, researchers led by Jirki Vyrtanen, from the University of Eastern Finland, randomly assigned nearly 2,300 people aged 60 or older to receive either placebo pills or 40 or 80 micrograms of vitamin D3 supplements per day, for five years.  At the end of the five years, "105 participants developed type 2 diabetes: 38 in the placebo group, 31 in the group receiving 40 micrograms of vitamin D3 per day, and 36 in the group receiving 80 micrograms of vitamin D3 per day," according to a university news release. In other words, there were no significant differences in the rate at which people developed type 2 diabetes, regardless of how much supplemental vitamin D they took. Vytanen's team also saw no benefit from high-dose supplements on a person's blood sugar or insulin levels, or measures of overweight/obesity. The bottom line, according to the researchers: For any healthy, non-prediabetic person with healthy vitamin D levels, upping intake of the vitamin won't alter your odds for diabetes or its common risk factors. https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-12-04/high-dose-vitamin-d-supplements-wont-prevent-diabetes-in-healthy-seniors XX Big congrats to author Clare Edge – recent guest on the podcast. Her book, Accidental Demons is featured on People Magazine's top ten book gift suggestions for this year! Whether you're looking for books about winter and the holidays, a primer on some of this year's buzziest musicians and characters or that "one more chapter" kind of bedtime favorite, there's sure to be a book out there to suit their taste. Bernadette Crowley, also known as Ber, comes from a long line of witches. When Ber is diagnosed with diabetes, however, she learns that every time she tests her blood sugar, demons accidentally slip into the human dimension — and it's up to Ber and her sister, Maeve, to stop them. This fantastical book is a great escape for young readers over holiday break. Buy Now Top ten books https://people.com/kids-gift-book-suggestions-wicked-taylor-swift-books-8752097

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: World Diabetes Day roundup, existing drugs examined for T1D prevention, Blue Circle Health expands its novel T1D care model, Mounjaro studied further, Canada approves a new pumps system, and tragedy in the diabetes community.  Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links:   Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX Of course, World Diabetes Day was yesterday. November 14 marks the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting. who discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922. Lots of the tech companies are taking action.. I'm going to link up a great article highlighting what many of them are doing…. from Medtronics Blue Balloon challenge to Dexcom's Nick Jonas video and a lot more. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/world-diabetes-day-2024/ XX A new triple combo therapy could restore insulin production in people with type 1 using existing medications. Levicure's triple-combo oral therapy is already considered very safe, because it involves two drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a well-known supplement. The therapy is a combination of: DPP4-inhibitors, a common type 2 diabetes medication Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), a drug for severe acid reflux A proprietary version of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a supplement often used to treat anxiety Levicure says the combined effect can block beta cell destruction, suppress autoimmunity, and restore beta cell function. So far, Levicure's triple therapy has gone through only one retrospective chart review; it has not been put to the test in a randomized controlled trial https://www.diabetesdaily.com/blog/can-this-triple-combo-oral-therapy-restore-insulin-production-733261/   XX Blue Circle Health is expanding it's unique approach to type 1 care. Already active in Florida, Maine & Vermont, it will now be in Delaware and Ohio. Blue Circle Health is free and develops a personalized care plan for each participant, tailored to their unique needs, and offers comprehensive multidisciplinary support over a six-month period. It's paid for by the Helmsley Charitable Trust. The program is available to people 18 years of age and older that speak Spanish or English, regardless of insurance coverage or citizen status. We've got an upcoming podcast episode all about Blue Circle coming up soon. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blue-circle-health-expands-to-delaware-and-ohio-to-address-health-system-barriers-to-type-1-diabetes-care-and-education-302304170.html XX An international team of experts has created the world's first evidence-based guide for eating lower and low carb. The group says until now, people with type 1 diabetes and their healthcare providers have lacked comprehensive resources to help implement this approach safely and effectively. The guide provides essential information for dietitians and nutritionists and empowers them to work collaboratively with individuals and families who are interested in reducing carbohydrates. It's free and we've got the download link in the show notes. https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/international-team-launches-first-guide-for-carbohydrate-reduction-in-type-1-diabetes-883729104.html XX A new pump system is available in Canada. mylife YpsoPump insulin pump and CamAPS FX hybrid closed-loop algorithm by Health Canada. mylife Loop consists of the mylife YpsoPump, a lightweight intuitive insulin pump, integrated with the CamAPS FX hybrid closed-loop, a mobile phone-based algorithm, and the Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System. Working together, these components provide an innovative, automated insulin delivery (AID) system designed to simplify insulin therapy and improve glycemic control for Canadians living with diabetes.   "The approval of the mylife YpsoPump and CamAPS FX marks an important milestone as we bring these advanced technologies to the Canadian market," said Sébastien Delarive, Chief Business Officer of Ypsomed Diabetes Care. "Although Ypsomed is relatively new in Canada, our established leadership in diabetes care throughout Europe provides a solid foundation for delivering innovative solutions to Canadians living with type 1 diabetes."   "We are excited to see both mylife YpsoPump and CamAPS FX approved," said Karina Schneider, General Manager at Ypsomed Canada. "This step brings us closer to offering an integrated solution that will help simplify diabetes management for Canadian patients, empowering them to take more control of their health." https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ypsomed-camdiab-receive-health-canada-205500840.html XX The FDA updates the labels for all GLP-1 receptor agonists with a warning about pulmonary aspiration during general anesthesia or deep sedation. The affected drugs are semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy); liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza); and the dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/GLP-1 tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound). the Medication Guide section of the label also has new additions. Patients are counseled to tell their healthcare provider if they are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation). They are alerted that the GLP-1 RAs they are taking may cause serious side effects, including food or liquid getting into the lungs during surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sedation. Patients are advised to tell all their healthcare providers that they are taking a GLP-1 RA before they are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/fda-updates-glp-1-label-pulmonary-aspiration-warning-2024a1000k84?form=fpf XX Following an impressive data drop this summer highlighting the potential for Eli Lilly's tirzepatide to stave off progression to Type 2 diabetes in prediabetic patients, the Indianapolis-based drugmaker is laying out full results from its longest completed study of the dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist to date. In the three-year SURMOUNT-1 trial, tirzepatide curbed the risk of disease progression to Type 2 diabetes by 94% versus placebo in adult prediabetes patients who were obese or overweight, Lilly said in a release Wednesday. The number represents a pooled result from three tirzepatide doses (5 mg, 10 mg and 15 mg) studied in the trial.   Putting those results into perspective, one new case of diabetes could be prevented for every nine patients treated with tirzepatide, which is marketed in the U.S. as Mounjaro for Type 2 diabetes and as Zepbound for obesity, Lilly said. https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/lilly-unwraps-detailed-data-showing-tirzepatide-kept-nearly-99-pre-diabetic-patients XX Edgparke commeical? XX https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-25/apple-secretly-tests-blood-sugar-app-in-sign-of-health-ambitions XX XX And finally, many of you have likely already heard but we had some incredibly tragic news in the diabetes community, especially for the Breakthrough T1D ride community. I'm going to read from the Breakthrough T1D website: The leadership, staff, and volunteers of Breakthrough T1D mourn the tragic, sudden loss of five T1D Champions on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024.  Jeff and Michelle Bauer, Josh and Tammy Stahl and Barry Sievers were all killed in a singe car crash. The group included two married couples and one single individual—all very close friends and veteran Breakthrough T1D Ride participants. Of this incredibly impactful group, I knew Michelle Bauer personally, I met her as Michelle Alswager – you may know her as Jesse's mom. Her son, Jesse died from complications of type 1 in 2010. And that year, mile 23 on the JDRF ride was created as a mile of silence in memory of Jesse.  Now all riders are asked to ride in silence for that mile not only in memory of Jesse, but all those lost to type 1 diabetes. Michelle wrote her book, Jesse Was Here and created a program that's part of Beyond Type 1 to this day, all to help other families going through grief. She called me a few years ago when she was thinking of writing her book and I'm so grateful for our conversations and that our conversations may have helped her get it out there into a world where it's so needed. But we need Michelle here to talk about grief. More about talking to Michelle about the book).   Please, write the book, ride the bike, do the ironman, follow your heart and your dreams.  All of these incredible people gone too soon. https://www.breakthrought1d.org/news-and-updates/breakthrough-t1d-mourns-tragic-sudden-loss-of-five-ride-champions/   Thanks for joining me..

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: iPhone control for Omnipod 5 rolls out, Libre is approved for use in CT scans and MRIs, Dexcom files for 15 day wear, Luna nighttime pump goes to trial, iLet cell trials move forward and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX Insulet Corporation announces the full market release of the Omnipod 5 App for iPhone® in the U.S. App allows users to fully control their Omnipod 5 Automated Insulin Delivery System (Omnipod 5) from their compatible iPhone1. For example, users can bolus for a meal, change a Pod, and adjust settings. Importantly, this also means that Omnipod 5 users who have a compatible iPhone no longer need to carry a separate Controller to help manage their insulin delivery requirements. Insulet says that the App for iPhone has been the number one feature requested by Omnipod 5 users. The Omnipod 5 App for iPhone is currently compatible with the Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System and is expected to be compatible with the Dexcom G7 CGM in the U.S. in 2025. The Omnipod 5 App for Android phones is also available to U.S. customers. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241029838744/en/Omnipod%C2%AE-5-App-for-iPhone%C2%AE-Now-Fully-Available-in-the-United-States   XX Th FDA says it's okay to keep on your FreeStyle Libre 2 and 3 for procedures like X-rays, CT scans and MRIs. Abbott said it makes its systems the first and only patient-applied CGM sensors approved for these screenings. Imaging procedures often come as part of diabetes care, Abbott said, especially as diabetes can cause a number of medical complications. The company rigorously tested its Libre 2 and 3 sensors to ensure they remain effective after radiologic procedures. This FDA clearance comes with no changes made to the sensor.   https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/fda-approves-abbott-cgms-medical-imaging/ XX Tidepool announced a new data integration with Abbott for the company's FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). The companies aim to deliver cloud-to-cloud integration for an automatic stream of data from patients using Abbott's CGMs in the U.S. Data streams to Tidepool+, a diabetes data visualization and population health platform. Tidepool+ provides intuitive tracking and visualization of diabetes data to make the data informative and actionable for clinicians, people with diabetes and caregivers. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/tidepool-abbott-data-integration-freestyle-libre/ XX Beta Bionics announced today that it launched the integration of the iLet bionic pancreas with the Abbott (NYSE:ABT) FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus. The companies announced their plan to combine the FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus continuous glucose monitor (CGM) with iLet last month. According to Beta Bionics, this makes iLet the first available automated insulin delivery (AID) system to integrate with Libre 3 Plus in the U.S. iLet users can now update their app and software to gain a choice of integrated CGMs. They can choose between Libre 3 Plus and Dexcom CGMs.   Abbott, meanwhile, continues to push forward on the automated insulin delivery integration front. The company recently paired its FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus with Insulet's Omnipod 5 in Europe. It also announced compatibility with the Tandem Diabetes Care t:slim X2 system in January.   Notably, the company also struck a deal with Medtronic in August. They aim to develop CGMs specifically for the medtech giant's own insulin delivery systems. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/beta-bionics-launches-ilet-abbott-libre/ XX Dexcom is asking the FDA to approve the G7 CGM for 15 days. Right now the G7 has a 10 day wear time.  Dexcom also launched the G7 CGM in Australia and rolled out Dexcom ONE+ in France. Some front-office news.. EVP and CCO Teri Lawver plans to retire at the end of the year. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/dexcom-submits-15-day-cgm-fda-q3-2024/ XX Stelo by Dexcom is one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2024! As the first glucose biosensor available in the U.S. without a prescription, Stelo has unlocked our industry-leading technology for millions of people across the U.S. looking to improve their health through personalized insights. We're honored to be recognized among other unique innovations in the Home Health category that support people's health. https://time.com/7094684/dexcom-stelo/   XX   Luna Diabetes is moving forward with a pivotal trial evaluating its automated closed-loop insulin technology, the Luna System. This is designed to address nighttime glucose control for insulin pen users. It's meant for use only during sleep - Luna system was developed as a wearable insulin pump and alternative to insulin pen to automate the insulin delivery process. The device works with continuous glucose monitors (CGM) to calculate and deliver rapid-acting insulin doses during sleep. Luna Diabetes expects the study to be completed early next year, with plans to commercially launch the device “soon after”.   https://finance.yahoo.com/news/luna-diabetes-trials-automated-wearable-115211566.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJIrWwjdye-ehrLNDt-LIGb5qTXaKDTIa8NWwiT7fKwFFgjDMN2nnINis6YfFePWP2ZA2DVYWXEIZQqRlQ4aKLFrYWgvw1jdI-t1n9kO6NIzdBCMXQNNCVl_S-75lDNip2SysHDJQmyqSc4wLjfDya3v9wwTWU-KgE_OqrPCTnlu XX Researchers are urging  caution when prescribing off-label glucose-lowering drugs to individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) while acknowledging that doctors keep prescribing them because they seem to work so well. Both glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have shown significant benefits for cardiovascular and renal health in other populations, particularly in patients with type 2 diabetes.   SGLT2 inhibitors carry a significant risk of euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis, a dangerous condition most common in T1D individuals where toxic levels of blood acidification can occur. Due to this risk, SGLT2 inhibitors were removed for T1D use in Europe, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved them for T1D.   For GLP-1RAs, there are concerns about substantial weight loss potentially leading to ketoacidosis or worsening hypoglycemia. While these medications can be beneficial in managing weight, the extent of that weight loss can create new problems in people with T1D as their insulin needs may quickly change as a result. Prescribing in People With Type 1 Diabetes," published in JAMA, the authors stress the critical need for more research to confidently allow the off-label usage of potentially dangerous secondary treatments. The data suggests clinicians are turning to these treatments to manage cardiovascular and renal complications in T1D patients, even though the drugs are not explicitly approved for this condition.   Conversely, those newly prescribed GLP-1RAs had higher rates of obesity (69.4% vs. 45.7%). This data indicates that clinicians are prescribing GLP-1RAs to help manage obesity in T1D patients, as weight management is a critical component of diabetes care.   The percentage of the T1D population prescribed GLP-1RAs increased significantly, from 0.3% in 2010 to 6.6% by 2023. The percentage prescribed SGLT2 inhibitors rose from 0.1% in 2013 to 2.4% by 2023. Overall, the percentage of T1D patients prescribed either of these medications increased from 0.7% to 8.3% during this period.     Results of the study suggest that despite regulatory concerns, off-label use of GLP-1RAs and SGLT2 inhibitors in T1D continues to grow primarily due to their cardiorenal and weight management benefits.   "Prospective studies on the efficacy and safety of GLP-1RAs or SGLT2 inhibitors in the T1D population are needed," the Research Letter concludes, "Before such evidence becomes available, caution should be exercised when prescribing these treatments to individuals with T1D."   https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-10-glucose-lowering-drugs-diabetes-patients.html XX More good islet transplant news.. from Eledon Pharmaceuticals and University of Chicago. These are potentially the first human cases of insulin independence achieved using a transplant of insulin-producing islet cells in combination with its experimental immunosuppressant drug. The first two subjects achieved insulin independence and normal hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) levels, a measure of average blood glucose, post-transplant. The third subject, who recently received an islet transplant, decreased insulin use by more than 60% three days following the procedure and continues on an insulin independence trajectory. Some of the funding for this study comes from Breakthrough T1D. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/10/29/2970713/0/en/Eledon-Pharmaceuticals-Announces-Positive-Initial-Data-from-Subjects-with-Type-1-Diabetes-Treated-with-Tegoprubart-as-Part-of-an-Immunosuppression-Regimen-Following-Islet-Transplan.html XX   Semaglutide may reduce Alzheimer's risk in type 2 diabetes patients, with research suggesting significant protective benefits compared to other diabetes drugs. published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, the study suggests that T2D patients taking semaglutide had a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer's. This effect was observed consistently across various subgroups, including differences in obesity status, gender, and age. Semaglutide, which acts on glucagon-like peptide receptors (GLP-1R) to curb hunger and regulate blood sugar in T2D, is also the active component in the diabetes and weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic. About 120,000 Americans die from Alzheimer's disease each year, with the disease listed as the seventh-leading cause of death nationally, according to the CDC. https://scitechdaily.com/alzheimers-breakthrough-popular-diabetes-drug-ozempic-linked-to-much-lower-risk/ XX   XX Edgepark commercial XX Apple's non invasive blood glucose monitoring rumors are back. But this sounds like just software.. no watch or hardware. According to the report, Apple doesn't currently have plans to release the app, but may integrate the technology into its future health products. The app could reportedly show consumers how certain foods impact their blood sugar levels, based on measurements taken by existing blood sugar monitoring devices. One report says apple is exploring uses for blood sugar data and what tools they could create for consumers as a result. Latterly, he reports testing on the app has been paused, but says the tests could pave the way for better food tracking on Apple's own health software or better third-party glucose tracking integration. https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/apple-is-testing-a-new-blood-sugar-product-but-its-not-the-apple-watch-update-weve-been-waiting-for XX And finally, it's diabetes awareness month. Please follow on social – I'll be doing a few things but mostly I think this month is great to educate the general public.. every month is diabetes month for this community. XX Join us again soon!

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: Hurricane aid for people with diabetes, Medtronic safety warning, stem cell updates for type 1, new study about teens and young adults with type 1, and Ryan Reed returns to racing. Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX Hurricane Insulin efforts XX Medtronic has notified customers that battery issues with its Minimed 600 and 700 series insulin pumps could cause the devices to stop delivering insulin significantly sooner than expected. A “low battery pump” alert, intended to signal up to 10 hours of remaining battery life, may be displayed on the device even if much less time is left. Medtronic told customers they could contact the company to determine the need for a replacement pump. Medtronic said it received 170 reports of hyperglycemia and 11 reports of diabetic ketoacidosis in the U.S., from January 2023 to September 2024, potentially related to the issue. Pump models including the Minimed 630G, 670G, 770G and 780G systems are affected by the notice. https://www.medtechdive.com/news/Medtronic-Minimed-insulin-pumps-recall-battery-life/729019/ XX A woman has undergone a stem-cell therapy made from her own cells, to treat her type 1 diabetes. Researchers in China discovered the woman did not need to use insulin 75 days after the procedure, and that the stem-cell derived islet cells she was injected with had been engrafted inside her abdomen. the case is the first of its kind, and two more people have been enrolled in the clinical trial in China since, researchers involved in the study told Medical News Today. Other stem-cell based therapies for type 1 and type 2 diabetes are also currently in development and in trials. For this case study, researchers based in Tianjin First Central Hospital, Nankai University, Tianjin, China took fat cells from a 25 year-old woman with type 1 diabetes, and chemically induced them to behave as pluripotent stem cells, a type of cell that can develop into other types of cell. They then used these to create islet cells, which typically exist in the pancreas and create insulin, a hormone that regulates levels of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream. The patient in this case study had previously had two liver transplants and a failed pancreas transplant due to complications that had arisen due to her diabetes. The induced islet cells made from the patient's own cells were then injected between the skin and abdominal muscles. Researchers discovered that these successfully engrafted in the patient, including growing their own vasculature. Before the procedure she produced enough insulin to reach her target glycemic range 43.18% of the time, and 4 months later this increased to 96.2% of the time. She was also shown to have lower glycated hemoglobin, which indicated long-term systemic glucose levels at a non-diabetic level.   https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/stem-cell-therapy-reverses-type-1-diabetes-in-groundbreaking-case-study XX The state of Texas is accusing major pharmacy benefit managers and drug companies of colluding to raise the cost of insulin.   Texas alleged drug manufacturers Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi raise the price of insulin and then pay an undisclosed amount back to PBMs Optum Rx, Express Scripts and CVS Caremark through a quid pro quo agreement. PBMs then give preferred status on its standard formularies to drugs with the highest list prices, the state said. Insulin costs $2 to produce and could be purchased for $20 in the 1990s but now costs up to $700, the Office of the Attorney General of Texas wrote in a news release. The filing goes so far as to describe a LinkedIn group these executives would use to discuss insulin pricing tactics. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently sued Optum Rx, Express Scripts and Caremark for rising insulin prices and anticompetitive practices. The PBMs reject the FTC's findings. Drug manufacturers were not included in the lawsuit. Texas' lawsuit also noted the consolidation in the PBM market, arguing it gives PBMs a “disproportionate amount of market power.” Nearly 40 PBM entities have now been consumed by UnitedHealth Group, Cigna and CVS Caremark. https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/texas-sues-pbms-manufacturers-over-insulin-conspiracy XX Canadian teens and young adults living with diabetes face double the risk of hospitalizations and emergency room visits compared with younger children with the condition, say doctors suggesting changes to how care is organized for affected families. In the October issue of the journal The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, Dr. Meranda Nakhla, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Montreal Children's Hospital, and her team used Quebec health administrative data to estimate the risk of gaps in regular diabetes care for complications in children under 10, and adults up to age 23.   "With adolescents and young adults, [the complication]  tends to be more related to an insulin omission and maybe just feeling burnt out from having diabetes and just not wanting to deal with it," Nakhla said. "They may stop taking insulin and a day later end up in the emergency room with diabetic ketoacidosis." Part of the challenge, Nakhla said, is for parents to take a step back from managing all aspects of their child's diabetes to a more supportive role that allows the child to have more autonomy. What's new about the Quebec findings is they highlight how gaps in diabetes care visits start at a younger age than previously looked at, said Dr. Rayzel Shulman, a pediatric endocrinologist at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. Since the brains of adolescents and young adults aren't fully developed, planning ahead, thinking about the consequences of their actions and controlling impulses differs from their parents. As part of an ongoing study, Shulman's team uses text messages to send adolescents and young adults appointment reminders as well as monthly diabetes messages. They recently added an artificial intelligence chat bot programmed with answers from trusted sources. https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/diabetes-pediatric-1.7345526 XX A trade organization representing compounding pharmacies that make unbranded versions of the weight loss drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound has filed a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for declaring an end to the shortage, effectively halting the sale of “copycat” versions of these drugs.   On Oct. 2, the FDA announced that the nearly two-year-long shortage of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound, had ended. This was after the agency said it had confirmed the manufacturer, Eli Lily, had a manufacturing capacity that “can meet the present and projected national demand.”     With the shortage over, the ability of compounding pharmacies to sell unbranded, replicated versions of these drugs came to a near halt. There are two types of compounding pharmacies: 503A and 503B. The Outsourcing Facilities Association (OFA) represents 503B compounding pharmacies, which can create prescription-specific compounded drugs as well as bulk orders.   The OFA and the compounding pharmacy North American Custom Laboratories filed their lawsuit against the FDA on Monday, alleging the agency was “abruptly depriving patients of much needed treatment and artificially raising drug prices.”   “Ignoring evidence that the shortage persists, FDA removed Tirzepatide from the shortage list without notice, without soliciting input from affected parties and the public, and without meaningful rationale,” said their complaint.   The evidence that the plaintiffs cited for the shortage persisting was that the FDA noted in its announcement that “patients and prescribers may still see intermittent localized supply disruptions as the products move through the supply chain from the manufacturer and distributors to local pharmacies.”   Eli Lilly made a similar statement after the shortage was declared over, saying, “Patients' experiences looking for a particular dose of medicine in their local pharmacies may vary. The supply chain is complex, especially for refrigerated medicines, and there may be many reasons why a particular pharmacy does not have a particular dose of the medicine in stock. ” https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4922234-trade-group-sues-fda-over-ending-mounjaro-zepbound-shortage/ XX New project in Europe to provide data to enable more people with diabetes who use insulin to work as commercial pilots and air traffic controllers. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency project focuses mainly on pilots and air traffic controllers, but the data being collected will apply to cabin crew and passengers with diabetes as well   currently only three countries in Europe — the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Austria — allow them to obtain a license that enables them to fly commercially, under a strict protocol that was first launched by the UK Civil Aviation Authority in 2012. The Irish Aviation Authority joined in 2015, and Austro Control followed in 2016.     https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/eu-program-aims-ensure-safety-pilots-who-use-insulin-2024a1000ia6 XX Edgepark commercial XX The two-time Xfinity Series winner was competing at Talladega in McAnally-Hilgeman Racing's No. 91 truck for his first start of the season. The last time Reed drove in a NASCAR event came last fall at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the Xfinity Series, and his most recent Truck start came in the spring of 2021 at Darlington Raceway.   “I couldn't stop making mistakes early on,” Reed said. “The truck was so fast. I think more than anything I'm really proud of myself for being able to get out there and make aggressive pushes and be able to kind of rise to the occasion.”   See also Grant Enfinger Wins Talladega, Advances to Championship 4 Despite the speed, Reed's truck burst into flames shortly after crossing the finish line. Reed said he stared at the door of teammate Christian Eckes while he crossed the line in the middle of a multi-truck pileup.     “Gosh, we could go anywhere we wanted today,” Reed told Frontstretch. “I made a lot of mistakes, but we put ourselves in position at the end. I hate that Bill [McAnally] has torn up race trucks.”   Friday marked Reed's sixth start in the past six years in Truck and Xfinity equipment, something Reed said might have added some doubt.   “When you're sitting on the couch every weekend, you think you can do it,” he reflected. “I remember I used to race every single weekend, I know how to get around these plate tracks, but you don't know, right?   “It's really gratifying to come off the couch and remind myself, like ‘hey I can still do this,' at least at superspeedways. I think I can do it at other tracks too.”     The day ended in a combination of a career-best Truck Series finish and a ball of fire for Ryan Reed in his return to NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition on Friday (Oct. 4).   https://frontstretch.com/2024/10/04/ryan-reed-scores-career-best-finish-in-truck-series-return/ XX Join us again soon!

It's In the News! A look at the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. Top stories this week: The FTC sues PBMs over insulin pricing, a new CGM is approved in Europe, more news about GLP-1s but some research says it may not work as well for one population, diabetes camps are invited to apply for grants, and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX The U.S. Federal Trade Commission sued the country's three largest pharmacy benefit managers on Friday, accusing them of steering diabetes patients towards higher priced insulin in order to reap millions of dollars in rebates from pharmaceutical companies. The case accuses UnitedHealth Group Inc's (UNH.N), opens new tab Optum unit, CVS Health Corp's (CVS.N), opens new tab CVS Caremark and Cigna Corp's (CI.N), opens new tab Express Scripts of unfairly excluding lower cost insulin products from lists of drugs covered by insurers. The three companies said in statements that the suit was baseless and defended their business practices, saying that they had lowered insulin prices for businesses, unions and patients. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-ftc-sues-drug-gatekeepers-over-high-insulin-prices-2024-09-20/ XX A new study finds metformin, may slow aging. Previous studies on "lower order" species have found that it can delay the onset of age-related diseases.  Gotta say, this is only in animal studies right now, not people, human trials are next. https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/diabetes-drug-metformin-aging/ XX New research from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine identifies a potential new approach to address the opioid overdose epidemic—which has devastated families and communities nationally.   The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, suggests semaglutide is linked to lower opioid overdoses in people with opioid-use disorder (OUD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D).   Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide receptor (GLP-1R) molecule that decreases hunger and helps regulate blood sugar in T2D, is also the active component in the diabetes and weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic.   The research team—led by biomedical informatics professor Rong Xu—analyzed six years of electronic records of nearly 33,000 patients with OUD who also had T2D. The researchers used a statistical approach that mimics a randomized clinical trial.   They found patients prescribed semaglutide had a significantly lower risk for opioid overdose, compared to those who had taken any of eight other anti-diabetic medications, including other types of GLP-1R-targeting medications.   About 107,500 people died from drug overdoses nationally in 2023, mostly from opioids, according to the CDC. Despite effective medications to prevent overdoses from OUD, the CDC estimates only a quarter of those with OUD receive them and about half discontinue treatment within six months. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-09-popular-diabetes-weight-loss-drug.html XX New research analyzing the effects of two drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes indicates a consistent lack of cardiovascular and renal benefits in Black populations. The drugs, called sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2-Is) and glucogen-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP1-RAs), are some of the newer treatments prescribed to lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. The research findings, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, show that for White and Asian populations, SGLT2-Is and GLP1-RAs have beneficial effects on blood pressure, weight control and renal function, and significantly reduce the risk of severe heart problems and kidney disease. However, the research shows no evidence of these beneficial effects in Black populations. ""Whether the differences are due to issues with under-representation of Black populations and low statistical power, or to racial/ethnic variations in the way the body and these drugs interact with each other needs further investigation," said Professor Seidu. "It is therefore important that prescribers don't hasten to deny these newer treatments to Black populations on the back of this research." https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240923/Research-reveals-disparities-in-diabetes-drug-efficacy-for-Black-populations.aspx XX If a woman is already in a "prediabetic" state in her teen or college years, her odds for a serious complication of pregnancy later in life rises, new research shows.   Ignoring prediabetes in teenagers "may represent a missed opportunity to avert pregnancy-related complications" later, said study lead author Katharine McCarthy. She's an assistant professor of population health science and policy, and obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.   Her team published its findings Sept. 24 in the journal JAMA Network Open. Prior research has found that rates of prediabetes have tripled among Americans ages 12 to 19 over the past decade. In the new study, the Mount Sinai team tracked rates of prediabetes (using blood sugar tests) among a group of 14,000 New York City residents ages 10 to 24. None of these individuals had full-blown diabetes at the time they were tested.   Having prediabetes in youth was linked to a doubling of risk of gestational diabetes -- new-onset diabetes while pregnant. Tracking blood levels of hemoglobin A1c, a measure of a person's average blood sugar level over the prior three months, was very predictive of whether or a not a woman would get gestational diabetes, the team found.   Prediabetes in youth was also linked to an 18% rise in the risk for hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, such as gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, or preterm delivery.   Measuring a teen girl's blood for signs of prediabetes might help protect her against trouble in a later pregnancy, McCarthy's group said. https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-09-24/prediabetes-in-teens-could-raise-odds-for-complicated-pregnancies-later XX Is there a link between IBD and type 1? In a recent and very large study, researchers looked at more than 630-thousdan people and found that irritable bowel disease seemed to significantly increase the risk of type 1 diabetes and vice versa. Interestingly, patients with IBD were found to have a significantly higher probability of formerly having contracted T1D, validating the bidirectional associations between these comorbidities. The highest risk was observed in patients with ulcerative colitis (aHR = 2.02), highlighting a stronger association with this IBD subtype. Additionally, over 70% of the study cohort was followed for more than ten years, reinforcing the robustness of these findings. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240919/IBD-increases-type-1-diabetes-risk-revealing-a-bidirectional-link-between-the-two-conditions.aspx XX Roche plans to launch its first continuous glucose monitor (CGM) in Europe “in the coming weeks,” The Accu-Chek Smartguide has European approval for adults with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Roche will roll out the CGM in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. Accu-Chek Smartguide can be worn for 14 days, and features predictive algorithms that Roche hopes will differentiate it from competitors Abbott and Dexcom. However, it also must be calibrated at first using a finger stick, which the other brands don't require.   Roche developed the CGM with three different prediction tools: A feature to predict the risk of low blood glucose within 30 minutes, a feature to forecast glucose levels over the next two hours, and a feature to predict hypoglycemia risk at night.   Pau Herrero, an algorithm and decision support tech lead at Roche, said the device provides a different picture than the trend arrows other CGMs use, which typically forecast glucose levels over the next 20 minutes. The predictions are based on multiple days of patient data using machine learning models. The company is in “active discussions” with the Food and Drug Administration on bringing Accu-Chek Smartguide to the U.S., Moreiras said, adding that he “cannot commit to any timelines.” https://www.medtechdive.com/news/roche-cgm-launch-europe/726863/ XX Exciting news! iLet users can now invite friends and family to join their Bionic Circle to see their diabetes data and receive alerts. By accepting the invite and downloading our new Bionic Circle App, loved ones can monitor an iLet user's CGM values, meal announcements, insulin doses, and alerts from anywhere.   To learn how to invite followers and accept an invite, visit: https://lnkd.in/ghigJKMt XX Diabetes Canada has unveiled the key findings of a first-of-its-kind national survey on how widespread stigma, judgement and discrimination is for those who live with diabetes and the impact of those social experiences on the quality of life for people with diabetes. The survey shows that diabetes can not only negatively impact a person's physical health but can also negatively affect their personal relationships, work or studies, leisure activities, financial situation, and emotional well-being.   In fact, nearly 90% of people living with type 1 diabetes and 70% of people living with type 2 diabetes experience shame and blame for having diabetes.   “As someone who lives with type 2 diabetes, I know first-hand how stigma can negatively impact the quality of life for people living with this condition in Canada,” says Laura Syron, President & CEO of Diabetes Canada. “We need to change the conversation around diabetes—the values, beliefs and language—so that people living with this condition can feel more accepted and understood. These feelings can dramatically improve the likelihood that people living with diabetes can receive the support and care they need to better their health outcomes and their quality of life.” In the survey, key findings show how people living with diabetes must deal with unfair assumptions about what they can and cannot do, judgements if they consume specific foods, and being blamed for having diabetes. 40% of people with T1D never or rarely ask for support to help manage their diabetes when they need it.   56% of people with T2D never or rarely ask for support to help manage their diabetes when they need it.   https://finance.yahoo.com/news/diabetes-canada-releases-first-kind-101300695.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJIrWwjdye-ehrLNDt-LIGb5qTXaKDTIa8NWwiT7fKwFFgjDMN2nnINis6YfFePWP2ZA2DVYWXEIZQqRlQ4aKLFrYWgvw1jdI-t1n9kO6NIzdBCMXQNNCVl_S-75lDNip2SysHDJQmyqSc4wLjfDya3v9wwTWU-KgE_OqrPCTnlu XX Edgepark commercial XX This is National Glucose Awareness Week. Dexcom and Beyond Type 2 are teaming up for the new designation to encourage people to learn about the importance of glucose and its significant impact on overall health, especially for people with diabetes. The news release says: National Glucose Awareness Week will feature a variety of educational resources about the importance of glucose health and information about new, cutting-edge glucose biosensing technology. That technology is CGM.. now available over the counter as Dexcom's Stelo. Get moving: Participate in a nationwide step challenge (invitation code: glucose) from Sept. 30 to Oct. 13 to help improve your glucose health.† Step challenge participants can register to participate from Sept. 23-29, 2024 and will have the chance to compete for prizes. Get resources: Close the glucose knowledge gap with key educational resources from Beyond Type 2. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240923896101/en/Dexcom-Beyond-Type-2-and-Retta-Establish-National-Glucose-Awareness-Week-to-Close-the-Glucose-Knowledge-Gap?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=bookmark   XX Attention diabetes camp organizers! You're invited to apply for financial support for your need based scholarships. This is the Type 1 Diabetes Camps Project: 2025-2027 Campership Initiative The initiative will also provide limited funds for selected camps to expand their revenue development efforts, funds for professional development and funds for low-income camper recruitment efforts and indirect costs. The initiative is supported by $6 million in grant funding from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and $900 thousand in funding from Eli Lilly and Company over the next three years. For more information about the RFP, please login and navigate to the publicly available RFPs: https://newventurefund.force.com/login XX Join us again soon!

It's In the News! A look at the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. Top stories this week: Dexcom CGM is worn in space, two over-the-counter CGMs are now available, a large new study looks at potential dietary causes of type 1, and researchers are looking at a gel version of GLP-1 medications. Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links:   Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX Astronauts on the Polaris-Dawn mission are wearing the Dexcom G6 CGM. Polaris Dawn launched this week with astronauts wearing the G6 to better understand the effects of spaceflight on human health. The crew intends to conduct research to advance human health on Earth and the understanding of health during long-duration spaceflights. “This health research-driven mission marks another first for Dexcom, with our industry-leading CGMs being worn by astronauts in outer space,” said Jake Leach, EVP and COO at Dexcom. “We are thrilled to play a role in building a future where people with diabetes are empowered to accomplish anything they set their minds to–including the possibility of exploring outer space–without being held back by their condition.” Over five days in space, the Polaris Dawn crew plans to conduct around 40 scientific experiments. That includes several aimed at better understanding the effects of spaceflight on glucose health. Labront, a platform assisting health researchers in collecting and analyzing physiological data, is collaborating with Dexcom. It plans to provide advanced analytics for the data collected by the crew.   According to a news release, the mission expects to explore how microgravity, fluid shifts, and blood flow restriction exercises impact glucose regulation. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/dexcom-cgm-outer-space-polaris-dawn/ XX There are now two OTC CGMs.. Dexcom launched Stelo a few weeks ago and now Abbott says Lingo is for sale. They're both available on the companies' websites, cost about the same, but you can opt to buy only one Lingo where Stelo comes in pairs. Lingo is meant for people without diabetes – it's a health bio sensor. Abbott has another CGM called Libre Rio meant for people with type 2 who don't take insulin. Not a lot of details about what the real difference are here – likely just in the software – No word on when Rio will be available. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/05/-abbott-launches-its-first-over-the-counter-continuous-glucose-monitor-in-the-us.html XX Warning about flying with an insulin pump – And I want to be clear here because I'm sure you'll see some scary headlines. This is really about pressure emergencies in planes. For the study, researchers tested 26 insulin pumps in a hypobaric chamber programmed to mimic the atmospheric changes during a normal commercial airline flight. “The drop in cabin pressure during ascent may lead to a slight increase in insulin delivery as a result of the formation of air bubbles which displace excess insulin out of the cartridge,” Fan said in a meeting news release. “A slight reduction in insulin delivery is also possible during descent as the increasing air pressure dissolves the air bubbles, sucking insulin back into the pump.” People on insulin pumps could be in real trouble in the event of rapid decompression of the cabin at altitude, researchers said. In that case, the pumps could deliver an insulin overdose -- dropping blood sugar levels so much that there's a significant risk of hypoglycemia, results show. These researchers recommend disconnecting and reconnect at take off and landing, but that's not going to help if there is emergency rapid decompression. As always, be prepared with emergency glucagon and low snacks and supplies. https://www.healthday.com/health-news/diabetes/flying-could-upset-insulin-pump-function-for-type-1-diabetics XX Lilly moves forward with it's version of once weekly basal insulin. Clinical trials show it can help control both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes as well as daily basal injections do. However, in those with type 1 diabetes, there was an increased risk for hypoglycemia.  This is the same issue with Novo Nordisk's Awiqli insulin – approved in Canada but not in the United States. https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2024/09/11/weekly-insulin-injections-effective-diabetes-weekly/8711726068680/ https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/once-weekly-insulin-looks-good-t2d-risk-seen-t1d-2024a1000gh8 XX Eating what seems like really healthy foods could be associated with a higher risk of developing type 1 diabetes. New study shows that eating fruit, oats and rye in childhood is associated with a higher risk of developing type 1 diabetes (T1D). Eating berries, however, is linked to lower odds of developing the condition. What triggers the immune system's attack is unknown but is thought to involve a combination of a genetic predisposition and an environmental trigger such as a virus or foodstuff. T1D, the most common form of diabetes in children, is increasing worldwide. The number of cases worldwide is projected to double in just 20 years, from 8.4 million in 2021 to 17.4 million by 2040. Finland has the highest incidence of T1D globally, with 52.2 cases per 100,000 children under the age of 15 – more than five times higher than in the 1950s. 5,674 children (3,010 boys and 2,664 girls) with genetic susceptibility to T1D were followed from birth to the age of six. Food records completed by their parents repeatedly from the age of three months to 6 years provided information on the entire diet.   The 34 food groups covered the entire diet and, when they were all factored in, several foods were associated with a higher risk of developing T1D.   To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a child's entire diet has been considered at the same time." The results show that the more fruit, oats or rye children ate, the more their risk of T1D increased. In contrast, eating strawberries, blueberries, lingonberries, raspberries, blackcurrants and other berries appeared to provide protection against T1D. The more berries a child ate, the less likely they were to develop T1D. Oats, bananas, fermented dairy products (such as yogurts) and wheat were associated with an increased risk of islet autoimmunity, whereas cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, were associated with decreased risk. It is, however, too early to make any dietary recommendations. The researchers are quick to point out that they don't really know the “why” here. Could be the food itself, could be pesticides, and until the results are replicated they urge parents not to change their child's diet. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240909/Eating-fruit-oats-and-rye-in-childhood-may-increase-type-1-diabetes-risk.aspx XX Researchers in France have developed a once-a-month hydrogel-based delivery system for semaglutide, significantly simplifying diabetes and weight management Semaglutide, marketed as Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy, is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that helps to regulate blood sugar levels and promote weight loss. This medication is especially effective in managing type 2 diabetes and is available in both injectable and oral forms. Semaglutide enhances the body's natural ability to control blood glucose and reduce appetite, providing a dual approach to treatment.     The new hydrogel delivery platform uses two innovative degradable polymers that are chemically bound to one another to form a gel, but allow slow, sustained release of soluble peptides over 1 to 3 months. How do you slow release a gel? With an injection. It goes under the skin. This is still in animal studies, so we're a ways off from human clinical trials. https://scitechdaily.com/new-semaglutide-hydrogel-say-goodbye-to-weekly-shots-for-diabetes-and-weight-loss/ XX   Edgepark Commercial XX   Embecta has received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration for its first insulin patch pump. The device can be used by people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and worn for up to three days. It includes a 300-unit insulin reservoir. Embecta said Tuesday it plans to develop a closed-loop version of the pump for automated insulin dosing that it will submit to the FDA in the future using the Tidepool Loop algorithm. Earlier this summer, Insulet received FDA clearance to offer its Omnipod 5 pump to people with Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes tech firms have focused on Type 2 in recent years as insurance coverage improves. https://www.medtechdive.com/news/embecta-gets-fda-nod-for-insulin-patch-pump/725904/ XX An artificial intelligence (AI)–driven voice algorithm showed "excellent agreement" with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) risk test in detecting adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D), research presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2024 Annual Meeting revealed.   The AI model detected T2D with 66% accuracy among women and 71% in men, and there was 93% agreement with the questionnaire-based ADA risk score, demonstrating comparable performance between voice analysis and an accepted screening tool.   The Colive Voice project includes volunteers from all over the world; however, the current study was restricted to adults from the United States, both with and without T2D, "This first proof of concept was limited to English speakers, and further research will need to enroll more diverse populations, in terms of languages and sociodemographic background," he said. "This study represents a first step toward using voice analysis as a first-line, highly scalable T2D screening strategy," the authors concluded. "The next studies will have to demonstrate the robustness of our approach in diverse populations and also include people living with prediabetes," Fagherazzi said. "If proven reliable, we expect such technology to be available in the next 5-10 years. Then, it could be deployed easily at scale in millions of smartphones worldwide and reduce undiagnosed diabetes cases." https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/ai-voice-analysis-diabetes-screening-shows-promise-2024a1000ggw XX Join us again soon!

It's In the News! A look at the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. Top stories this week: The FDA approved Omnipod 5 for people with type 2 who use insulin, Dexcom's Stelo, the first over the counter CGM, is now on sale. more evidence that bright light at night may increase the risk of diabetes, a price cut for Zepbound, and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links:   Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX In a first for any automated insulin delivery system, The FDA clears Omnipod 5 for people with type 2 diabetes. The new indication is based on data from the real-world multicenter SECURE-T2D trial of a racially diverse group of 305 adults with type 2 diabetes who were taking insulin. About half were also taking a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. Use of the Omnipod 5 resulted in a significant A1c reduction from 8.2% at baseline to 7.4% at 13 weeks (P < .001), with no differences in outcome by GLP-1 receptor agonist use. Some doctors are already prescribing the Omnipod 5 off-label to some of their patients with type 2 and other types of diabetes. Private insurance will typically cover it, although prior authorization is often required. Medicare Part B requires certification of C-peptide deficiency for coverage of insulin pumps. This new indication is likely to increase uptake of the Omnipod 5 into primary care, where the vast majority of people with type 2 diabetes are managed. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/fda-clears-omnipod-5-system-type-2-diabetes-2024a1000fld XX For the first time, you can get a CGM over the counter, with no prescription. Dexcom began selling Stelo this week.. intended for people with Type 2 diabetes who don't take insulin, although it can be used by people without diabetes. It costs 99 dollars for a one-time order of two sensors or $89 dollars for a monthly prescription. Stelo is a 15-day sensor based on Dexcom's other glucose monitors. The main difference from prescription products is in what information users get through the app. Stelo flags glucose spikes, provides information on time-in-range goals, and includes meal and activity logging. The intent is to reveal how food, exercise and sleep can affect a person's glucose levels. Competitor Abbott plans to launch two over-the-counter CGMs: one called Lingo, for people without diabetes, and one called Libre Rio, for people with diabetes who don't use insulin. It has not yet priced either sensor. Abbott said it plans to debut its competing Lingo device this summer. The company has not said when it will launch its Rio CGM. https://www.medtechdive.com/news/dexcom-sells-stelo-over-the-counter-cgm/725310/ XX You'll soon be able to get vials of Lilly's popular weight loss drug, Zepbound, from a direct to consumer website, at a lower cost. This is still nearly 400 dollars a month for the lowest dose $550 for the next lowest and it will come in vials, not pens. Lilly and Novo have been struggling to make enough of their obesity medications to meet soaring demand, especially keeping up the pen supply. Lilly's medicines are now listed as available by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, though they are not yet off the FDA's official shortage list where they have been most of the year. I haven't seen this mentioned in any of the reporting but.. if it's coming in a vial, you have to use a syringe to inject. Not much of a barrier to this group listening.. but pens have made using drugs like this much easier for a lot of people and I worry that going back to syringes is better for these companies than the patients. Zepbound is terzepatide, the same mediation as in Mounjaro. The latter is approved for people with type 2 diabetes, so this could be a way for some people to better access Mounjaro which is very hard to come by. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/lilly-launches-single-dose-vials-zepbound-weight-loss-expand-us-supply-2024-08-27/ XX In a few months the US govermet will announce the list of 15 moe drugs they'll negotiate Medicare prices for.. and Ozempic is a top candidate. This is speculation from Wall Street analysts but I think worth watching. All the drugs on their prediction list have been on the market since at least 2017 and are among those that the Medicare health program spends the most on. Under President Joe Biden's signature Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), prices for 10 highly popular prescription drugs used by Medicare will be cut by 38% to 79% in 2026. The industry has fought the negotiation program, saying it will stifle innovation. Government researchers predict that the use of diabetes drug Ozempic for weight loss would raise the U.S. deficit over the next 10 years at its current price. Medicare spent over $4.6 billion on the drug in 2022. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/ozempic-wall-streets-list-2027-medicare-drug-negotiations-2024-08-23/ XX Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes are associated with accelerated brain aging, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in the journal Diabetes Care. The good news is that this may be counteracted by a healthy lifestyle. Type 2 diabetes is a known risk factor for dementia, but it is unclear how diabetes and its early stages, known as prediabetes, affect brain aging in people without dementia. Now, a comprehensive brain imaging study shows that both diabetes and prediabetes can be linked to accelerated brain aging. The study included more than 31,000 people between 40 and 70 years of age from the UK Biobank who had undergone a brain MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging). The researchers used a machine learning approach to estimate brain age in relation to the person's chronological age.   Prediabetes and diabetes were associated with brains that were 0.5 and 2.3 years older than chronological age, respectively. In people with poorly controlled diabetes, the brain appeared more than four years older than chronological age. The researchers also noted that the gap between brain age and chronological age increased slightly over time in people with diabetes. These associations were attenuated among people with high physical activity who abstained from smoking and heavy alcohol consumption. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-08-healthy-lifestyle-counteract-diabetes-brain.html XX   Edgepark Commercial XX Another study showing the link between bright light at night and a higher risk of developing type 2. This study in the journet Lancet In the large modeling study, the research team investigated whether personal light exposure patterns predicted the risk of diabetes using data from approximately 85,000 people and around 13 million hours of light sensor data. The participants – who did not have type 2 diabetes – wore devices on their wrists for one week to track their light levels throughout the day and night. They were then tracked over the following nine years to observe whether they went on to develop type 2 diabetes. “Light exposure at night can disrupt our circadian rhythms, leading to changes in insulin secretion and glucose metabolism,” he says. Having more exposure to light at night (between 12:30 am and 6:00 am) was linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and this was true regardless of how much light people were exposed to during the day. The research accounted for other factors associated with type 2 diabetes, such as lifestyle habits, sleep patterns, shift work, diet, and mental health.   Even after taking these factors into account, the findings showed that getting more light at night was still a strong predictor of developing diabetes. https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-discover-simple-and-cheap-way-to-reduce-your-risk-of-diabetes/ XX Is there a link between voice pitch and glucose levels? And is it strong enough to one day perhaps lead to non-invasive glucose monitronig? Klick Labs published a new study in Scientific Reports today—confirming the link In "Linear Effects of Glucose Levels on Voice Fundamental Frequency in type 2 diabetes and Individuals with Normoglycemia," researchers investigated how blood glucose levels influence the frequency of the voice in 505 participants across three glycemic statuses—non-diabetic, prediabetic, and type-2 diabetic. Participants were fitted with continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and recorded their voices multiple times daily for two weeks. The analysis revealed a linear relationship where an increase in CGM glucose levels corresponded to an increase in the fundamental frequency in the voice. The lead author says, "Whereas current glucose monitoring methods are often invasive and inconvenient, voice-based glucose monitoring could be as easy as talking into a smartphone, which could change the game for the estimated 463 million people around the world living with type 2 diabetes."   Klick Labs' latest research marks another step forward in its ongoing commitment to advancing the detection and management of diabetes using voice tech and machine learning. Their October 2023 study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health demonstrated that voice and AI can screen for type 2 diabetes with high accuracy.   https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-08-diabetes-links-blood-glucose-voice.html#google_vignette XX Earlier this year we talked to the teenager behind a free bolus calculator. The FDA took T1D1 down, when they and Apple started cracking down on health tools without regulatory approval. Drew Mendalow has been working to bring it back and we have an update: He says, “Over the last two years, we have been tirelessly working to complete our FDA premarket submission. Thanks to contributions by the T1D community, we were able to complete the preparations needed for the Human Factors Study. The trial itself is the last, vital piece needed before we can submit the app to the FDA. Now, we're thrilled to announce that the team at Dexcom has graciously offered to run the study for us!” It's a big deal – kudos to Dexcom and to Drew. We'll let you know when T1D1 is back in the app store. XX Join us again soon!

It's In the News! A look at the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. Top stories this week: A weekly basal plus semaglutide is in the works, but not for the US right now, Tandem updates it's app recall, liver targeted insulin study, a weird walking story, and Lance Bass educates about LADA.  Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX Novo Nordisk moves ahead with a new combination: once-weekly insulin icodec and semaglutide. Called IcoSema, Novo plans to submit for approval in Europe, Canada, Japan and Australia but NOT the US. As we told you earlier this summer, icodec – once weeky basal insulin – was not approved by the US FDA. Semaglutide is the molecule underpinning Novo's immensely popular GLP-1 drugs Ozempic and Wegovy. Icodec has been approved as Awiqli in places like Europe, Canada, Japan and Australia but was snubbed by the FDA last month. The FDA has left the door open for another application, but Novo says they don't expect to iron it out this year. In studies, the combination worked well to lower A1C for people with type 2 and they lost weight. They also had fewer lows. https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/corrected-after-icodec-rejection-novo-nordisk-wont-file-application-once-weekly-insulin-and   XX An update from Tandm on their app recall. Back in March they notified users of the recall because of an issue that can cause rapid depletion of a user's t:slim X2 insulin pump battery. This battery depletion can result in the pump shutting down sooner than expected, which some customers have continued to experience even after an updated version of the app was released. Notices were emailed to impacted customers on August 9, 2024 with updated information and recommendations for helping avoid pump battery depletion. Tandem plans to release a new version of the app to address the remaining issues and will notify all users by email and app push notifications following its release. Impacted customers in the U.S. with questions about this recall can contact the Tandem Diabetes Care Technical Support Team 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at techsupport@tandemdiabetes.com or (877) 801-6901. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240812040222/en/Tandem-Diabetes-Care-Provides-Update-on-March-2024-Nationwide-Recall-of-tconnect-Mobile-App-for-iOS-Devices XX If you are an adult who has type 1 diabetes, you may be eligible to participate in a trial examining the impact of an investigational liver-targeted insulin on blood glucose control, A1C, and nighttime lows. This study is researching whether administering a liver-targeting insulin called HDV-L insulin (Hepatocyte-directed Vesicles-insulin lispro), will improve glycemic control. HDV-L insulin is designed to act on the liver to enhance glucose storage and decrease the frequency of severe hypoglycemia in individuals requiring insulin. It is not currently approved for use. For this trial, researchers are recruiting roughly 230 adults with type 1 diabetes aged 18-79 who are on multiple daily injections (MDI). This study is recruiting in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas. To enroll or learn more about this study, contact Todd Hobbs, MD at Diasome Pharmaceuticals at thobbs@diasome.com or call 216-780-9324. Clinical Trials Identifier: NCT06238778 https://diatribe.org/diabetes-research/new-study-tests-liver-targeted-insulin-type-1-diabetes XX Sanofi is investing heavily to boost insulin production. They opened a new facility in Germany for the basal insulin Lantus and they announced they will invest over one billion dollars to expand production capacity in France. Sanofi's considerable investment in insulin production is especially important given that other insulin companies appear to be focusing their efforts on production of GLP-1 medications like Mounjaro and Ozempic, rather than insulin. This has left some patients worried that Novo Nordisk and Lilly will leave them behind to pursue more lucrative products for weight loss, especially after Novo Nordisk decided to discontinue the basal insulin Levemir. https://diatribe.org/diabetes-medications/sanofi-build-new-state-art-insulin-plant   XX Hoping to talk to Abbott and Medtronic soon about their partnership announced earlier this month. The companies announced that Abbot will create an integrated continuous glucose monitor that works only with Medtronic's diabetes technology and be sold exclusively by Medtronic. Along with announcing the partnership, Medtronic said Wednesday it received FDA approval for its Simplera CGM, which does not require fingersticks or overtape, unlike the company's previous sensors. The Simplera Sync sensor, which is designed to work with Medtronic's automated insulin delivery algorithm, is under FDA review separately. https://www.medtechdive.com/news/abbott-medtronic-partnership-automated-insulin-delivery/723600/ XX Researchers have developed a novel computer algorithm that can predict various diseases like diabetes or stroke, just by analysing the colour of the human tongue with 98 per cent accuracy. The imaging system developed by Middle Technical University (MTU) and the University of South Australia (UniSA) in Australia can diagnose conditions such as diabetes, stroke, anaemia, asthma, liver and gallbladder issues, Covid-19, and other vascular and gastrointestinal diseases. "The colour, shape, and thickness of the tongue can reveal a litany of health conditions," said Ali Al-Naji, adjunct Associate Professor at MTU and UniSA. The paper published in Technologies describes how the system analyses tongue colour to provide real-time diagnoses, demonstrating that AI can advance medical practices significantly. The breakthrough was achieved through a series of experiments using 5,260 images to train machine-learning algorithms to detect tongue colour. Researchers received 60 tongue images from two teaching hospitals in the Middle East, representing patients with diverse health conditions. The AI model matched tongue colour with the correct disease in nearly all cases. https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/new-algorithm-analyses-tongue-to-predict-diabetes-stroke-with-98-accuracy-6327124 XX Big roundup article from the UK Guardian all about 6 projects all around smart insulin. Not a lot new here, but it caused a lot of chatter. I'll link it up – good summary of all of the research happening in the space right now. Glucose-responsive insulin is the idea that you could give one injection and the insulin would respond to the rise and fall of glucose levels without further action by the person.   https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/aug/11/scientists-hail-smart-insulin-responds-changing-blood-sugar-levels-real-time-diabetes XX Edgepark Commercial XX Lance Bass (like glass) continues to keep the public posted on his recent LADA diagnosis. The boy band singer showing his IG audience more about what's also called diabetes 1.5 and explaining how he was first diagnosed with type 2. XX Ok, brace yourself – I promise this is a real story. The Fart Walk is actually good for you. Ok.. stay with me. This is really just a great silly reframing of something we all know, and I couldn't resist putting it in here. A wellness influencer put this out – you may have seen it – claiming the after dinner stroll can limit your risk of type 2 diabetes. A lot of studies confirm that – along with it having benefits if you already have diabetes. The flatulence part – or a release of gastric pressure – is also a known benefit of moving more after meals. So it's funny, farts are always funny, but if it gets more people to walk after they eat I'm all for it.   https://people.com/fart-walk-benefits-what-is-it-type-2-diabetes-8694630#:~:text=Wellness%20influencer%20Mairlyn%20Smith%20has,of%20day%20you%20do%20it XX Join us again soon!

It's In the News! A look at the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. Top stories this week: A new study looks at insulin needs in men vs women, updates on stem cell transplants and a new look at COVID 19 and T1D plus a fully implantable CGM is announced. We'll also tell you about a T1D athlete drafted to the MLB. Lots more in this week's episode, full transcipt below.  Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links:   Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX Do men and women have different insulin requirements? A new study conducted across Europe says yes – women overall need less. Published in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology this looked at over 9,000 adults with type 1 diabetes using data from patients using the Diabeloop Generation 1 (DBLG1) hybrid closed-loop pump system. In this study, women needed 14-percent less insulin overall than men. These researchers say these findings have important implications for the practical management of insulin therapy and highlight the necessity of considering gender as a crucial factor in diabetes treatment. The treatment guidelines provided by American and European Diabetes Societies do not currently have gender-specific recommendations for insulin-weight ratios. The co-founder and Chief Scientific and Technical Officer for Diabeloop. “This study also highlights the capacity to discover new insights from big-data analysis of real-world data.” *Insulin Requirements According to Gender and Weight in a Population of 9036 Adult Persons With Type 1 Diabetes Using Closed-Loop Insulin Delivery, https://doi.org/10.1177/19322968241252366). https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/markets/markets-news/GetNews/27419187/diabeloop-study-reveals-significative-gender-differences-in-insulin-requirements-for-type-1-diabetes-patients/   XX New drug therapy in those lucky diabetic mice boosted insulin-producing cells by 700% over three months, effectively reversing the disease. Scientists at Mount Sinai and City of Hope have been able to grow new beta cells in the body, in a matter of months. The therapy involved a combination of two drugs: one is harmine, a natural molecule found in certain plants, which works to inhibit an enzyme called DYRK1A found in beta cells. The second is a GLP1 receptor agonist. The latter is a class of diabetes drug that includes Ozempic, The researchers tested the therapy in mouse models of type 1 and 2 diabetes.. The signs of the disease quickly reversed, and stayed that way even a month after stopping the treatment.   The results are intriguing, but of course being an animal study means there's still much more work to be done before it could find clinical use. So far, harmine alone has recently undergone a phase 1 clinical trial in humans to test its safety and tolerability, while other DYRK1A inhibitors are planned for trials in humans next year. https://newatlas.com/medical/diabetes-reversing-drug-boosts-insulin-producing-cells/ XX Stem cell–derived beta-cell replacement therapy continues to show benefit in people with type 1 diabetes at a high risk for severe hypoglycemia. New info from Vertex shows that of a total 17 patients who received a full dose of their  investigational allogeneic stem cell–derived, fully differentiated pancreatic islet cell replacement therapy (VX-880), three, thus far, have achieved the primary study efficacy endpoint of elimination of severe hypoglycemic episodes with A1c < 7% at 1 year and the secondary endpoint of insulin independence. Others are on the same trajectory, Piotr Witkowski, MD, PhD, professor of surgery at The University of Chicago, Chicago, said at the recent American Diabetes Association (ADA) 84th Scientific Sessions. In his presentation, Witkowski also provided details about the deaths of two study participants that the company had announced in January 2024, neither of which were related to the VX-880 product. In fact, there have been no severe adverse events related to the product itself, with most due to either the infusion procedure or the immunosuppression. "These data highlight the curative potential of VX-880 in people living with type 1 diabetes and support further evaluation of VX-880 toward pivotal development," Witkowski said. For now, patients selected for the study are those who experience frequent severe hypoglycemia deemed to be a greater risk to the patient than that of immunosuppression. However, Ahn pointed out, "With VX-880, the obvious fly in the ointment is the need for immunosuppression which carries significant risk…There are multiple solutions being proposed, but we are still waiting for data as promising as the initial Vertex data is on that front." https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/stem-cell-derived-islets-continue-show-benefit-t1d-2024a1000cx1 XX Still lots of COVID studies coming in about type 1. A German study suggests COVID 19 may speed up progression of existing but presymptomatic T1D in kids. These researchers had been screening and following children in an early presymptomatic stage of type 1 diabetes for several years. They noticed an increase in the numbers of Incidence of clinical type 1 diabetes nearly doubled after the pandemic started. "We know that the virus can infect the pancreatic islets so it could be causing damage or change in the beta cells that make insulin," said Ziegler when discussing possible mechanisms behind this association. "Second, there is generalized inflammation during the infection and there may be a stimulation of the immune response. Third, there could be metabolic stress from the infection that affects the beta cells that make insulin. To dive into this topic, youth were identified in the German Fr1da-screening program from 2015 to 2023. All patients had presymptomatic diabetes defined as persistent, confirmed positive results for two or more islet autoantibodies. Their progression was monitored at 3- to 6-month intervals. Clinical type 1 diabetes was defined according to American Diabetes Association   COVID infection was either self-reported via the family or identified with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were confirmed in blood samples collected at study visits.   Vaccination against COVID-19 may be one way to protect presymptomatic type 1 diabetes youth from progression, Ziegler added. She said her group is currently testing whether COVID-19 vaccination can reduce new-onset, presymptomatic type 1 diabetes in a clinical trial  of children with genetic risk factors for the condition. https://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/type1diabetes/111084 XX The FDA says no – for now - to Novo Nordisk's weekly insulin.  This has been approved in Canada and should be available there shortly. But the FDA says it wants more information related to the manufacturing process and the type 1 diabetes indication to complete the review. Novo said it does not expect to be able to fulfil the requests this year, and that it will work closely with the FDA regarding the next steps. The regulator's decision follows its outside panel's vote against the use of the weekly insulin icodec, in patients with type 1 diabetes due to risks of low blood sugar. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-fda-declines-approve-novo-nordisks-weekly-insulin-2024-07-10/ XX A couple of weeks ago we spoke to the attorneys taking on CGM monitronig in schools. They've helped a family in Connecticut and set a precdent.  A child with autism and diabetes was not getting reasonable accommodations under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act in a public preschool program. I'll link up the press release from the DOJ but this family wasn't getting any support and it just wasn't safe. The lawyers here tell me the ruling and settlement is just going to help them going forward as they try to make schools complient with CGM as a reasonable  accomodatin. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ct/pr/aba-therapy-provider-make-changes-comply-americans-disabilities-act   XX Ozempic could lower the risk of dementia and a range of other mental problems compared with other existing treatments for patients with diabetes. What's more, researchers found that Ozempic cut nicotine dependence in those patients.   This study relied on medical records from more than 100,000 U.S. diabetes patients, including more than 20,000 who were prescribed semaglutide between December 2017 and May 2021. After a year, patients who took Ozempic had a 48% lower risk of developing dementia than those on Januvia. The risk in Ozempic patients was also 37% lower than those who took Glucotrol and 9% lower than those on Jardiance. Notably, previous research has determined that diabetes patients are at a greater risk of developing dementia. But the authors emphasized that the analysis is observational. The results need to be replicated in a controlled trial that assigns patients to randomly take Ozempic and the other drugs, according to Dr. Max Taquet, another Oxford clinical lecturer and senior study author. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/16/healthy-returns-ozempic-may-lower-dementia-risk-nicotine-use.html XX   Edgepark Commercial XX The Omnipod 5 with Dexcom G7 integration is now available through select pharmacies with full availability expected in the fall.   The System uses new Pods that are compatible with both Dexcom G6 and G7, but the prescription code will stay the same as the current Omnipod 5 Pods. This means the community will have similar insurance coverage and access to what they have with Omnipod 5 today.   If you're looking to start on Omnipod 5 and you're currently using Dexcom G7, your doctor will need to send a prescription for both the Omnipod 5 Intro Kit and Omnipod 5 Pods, compatible with Dexcom G6-G7, to ASPN Pharmacies.   You can learn more at https://www.omnipod.com/innovation/dexcom-g7.   If you are already using Omnipod 5, you will get the new Pods compatible with Dexcom G6 and G7 through your Pod refills. You do not need a new prescription. The week of July 29th, you will receive a free software update for the Omnipod 5 App to your Controller or compatible Android smartphone which is needed to use the System with Dexcom G7. Accept the update. We recommend you continue to use your current Omnipod 5 Pods and Dexcom G6 supplies until the new Pods compatible with Omnipod 5 with Dexcom G6-G7 are available at your preferred pharmacy.   We'll email our users when the new Pods are available in most pharmacies.   You can learn more at https://www.omnipod.com/innovation/new-compatible-devices   XX Big promises about long-term implantable blood glucose monitor from a company called Focus. They say they're partnering with Glucotrack to quote - transform how people with diabetes interact with their condition. They're not calling this a CGM – rather it's a CBGM, continuous blood glucose monitor because it will measure glucose levels in blood, not in interstital fluid like CGMs do. They company says this is a fully subdermal location, with no external wearable. In preclinical studies, the CBGM has a MARD of 4.7% at day 90. That is MUCH lower than CGMs on the market – Dexcom and Libre are in the low 8s right now. BUT.. it hasn't been fully tested in people yet. Human clinical trials are set to start later this year. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/focus-collaborates-glucotrack-implantable-cbgm/ XX Big congrats to Jamie Ferrer (Chy-may Fer-rare) On Monday, Ferrer's dream was realized when the Twins selected the Florida State outfielder in the fourth round (No. 126 overall) during Day 2 of the MLB Draft. Minnesota vice president of amateur scouting Sean Johnson said the club had its eyes on Ferrer since high school. “Recently, I was in Orlando at a conference called, “Friends for Life with CWD [Children with Diabetes],” and we had an event that was a sports day. … Kids would come up to me and either them or their families would ask me how I dealt with this [or that],” Ferrer said. “And seeing their faces light up whenever I said I was diagnosed at three and I played college baseball. … You hear people tell you no and that you can't do this because you have Type 1 diabetes … So why not inspire as many people as I can?”   “I'm super proud of being a Type 1 athlete, and it's something that I'll never shy away from talking about or showing off my insulin pump because it's who I am and it's something that I've had to deal with my entire life.” https://www.mlb.com/news/jaime-ferrer-selected-no-126-overall-by-twins-in-2024-mlb-draft XX Join us again soon!

You can Watch or Listen to this episode: https://the6ways.com/36Information is widely available, and even more so in a world of increasingly AI generated content. So how can we still attract clients in 2024 and beyond? With community. People will always need connection and in this episode Stacey Simms and I are sharing 6 ways to use online communities to grow your business.Occasionally a helpful announcement for listeners gets added to the show so the timestamps below may be off by 30-60 seconds, but they should be pretty close.00:51 6 Ways To Use Online Communities To Grow Your Business05:17 #1: Community Around Podcasts09:28 #2: How To Promote Without Spamming13:29 #3: Combining Communities17:19 #4: Unlikely Fan Club20:47 #5: This One Makes Jerry Cringe25:03 #6: Free Up Your Time With This27:40 If we are building our own community, do you recommend doing it in a Facebook Group or on a different platform?Some REALLY awesome tips were shared in this episode – please think about who you know that would benefit from these, and then make sure to share it with them. Because WE ALL DO BETTER WHEN WE ALL DO BETTER.

It's In the News! A look at the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. Top stories this week: The Eversense CGM could soon be approved for one year of continuous use, the first generic GLP-1 medication is launched, a new company tauts and all-in-one sensor and pump infusion set, a new diabetes accessory in the Roblox game, and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX The first ever generic GLP-1 medication will soon be available in the US. It's a generic of Victoza, originally approved by the FDA in 2010 for diabetes, is part of the same class of drugs that includes Ozempic and Mounjaro. Liraglutide is Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (otherwise known as GLP-1s or GLP-1 RAs) are a class of incretin drugs that mimic the body's natural hormones to help treat diabetes and obesity. However, the popularity of the drugs has spiraled out of control at times, leading to shortages and supply chain issues in the US and abroad.  The arrival of a GLP-1 generic drug provides reasons to be hopeful for doctors and patients alike, but there are also caveats. Couple of caveats - liraglutide is injected once daily (vs. weekly) and many doctors say it doesn't work as well for as many people as semaglutide and terzepatide. No confirmation on the price Two other generic options are being developed and could launch in December 2024. Patents for newer GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy won't expire until several years down the road https://www.healthline.com/health-news/victoza-generic-glp1-drug-available XX Senseonics plans to launch a 365-day sensor in the U.S. in the fourth quarter of this year. A one-year Eversense CGM could be a game changer for the company.   In 2024, Senseonics expects to more than double U.S. new patient starts and increase the global installed base by around 50%. The growth is built on the current 180-day version of Senseonics' implantable Eversense CGM. Eversense's 180-day sensor can need calibrating twice a day, something Senseonics CEO Tim Goodnow said “has been a competitive disadvantage.” Users calibrate the 365-day sensor once a week. Senseonics is in talks with insulin pump manufacturers about integrating its Eversense CGM with their devices but has yet to commit to a timeline for finalizing an agreement. https://www.medtechdive.com/news/senseonics-365-day-cgm-2025-sales/719717/ XX People who take Ozempic or Wegovy may have a higher risk of developing a rare form of blindness, a new study suggests. Still, doctors say it shouldn't deter patients from using the medicines to treat diabetes or obesity.   Last summer, doctors at Mass Eye and Ear noticed an unusually high number of patients with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION, a type of eye stroke that causes sudden, painless vision loss in one eye.   The condition is relatively rare — up to 10 out of 100,000 people in the general population may experience it — but the doctors noted three cases in one week, and each of those patients was taking semaglutide medications. The risk was found to be greatest within the first year of receiving a prescription for semaglutide.   The study, published Wednesday in the medical journal JAMA Ophthalmology, cannot prove that semaglutide medications cause NAION. And the small number of patients — an average of about 100 cases were identified each year — from one specialized medical center may not apply to a broader population. The ways that semaglutides interact with the eyes are not entirely understood. And the exact cause of NAION is not known either. The condition causes damage to the optic nerve, but there is often no warning before vision loss.   For now, patients who are taking semaglutide or considering treatment should discuss the risks and benefits with their doctors, especially those who have other known optic nerve problems such as glaucoma or preexisting visual loss, experts say https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/wegovy-ozempic-linked-with-sight-threatening-eye-disorder-study-2024-07-03/ XX We got some updates at ADA about the over the counter CGMS Dexcom Stelo and Abbot's Libre. Dexom plans a late august launch of stelo, which you'll order from their website – it won't be physically in stores. Abbott also plans to sell its wellness-oriented Lingo device this summer through an e-commerce website. That's a sensor that's been available in other coutnires for a while, but was recently okayed in the US. It's not meant for people with diabetes. The Libre Rio is designed or adulst with type 2 who don't use insulin. No timing yet on that product's launch. Neither Abbott nor Dexcom have disclosed pricing for the upcoming products. https://www.medtechdive.com/news/abbott-dexcom-over-the-counter-cgm-launch/719928/ XX Insulet is looking to expand the label for its Omnipod 5 insulin pump for people with Type 2 diabetes. The company said Friday it recently filed with the Food and Drug Administration. Insulet presented study results at the American Diabetes Association's 84th Scientific Sessions that evaluated Omnipod 5 in people with Type 2 diabetes who were taking basal insulin or multiple daily injections. The results showed “substantial improvements in blood glucose outcomes and overall quality of life,” said study chair Francisco Pasquel, an associate professor of endocrinology at Emory School of Medicine. Omnipod 5 is currently cleared in the U.S. for people with Type 1 diabetes. Insulet hopes to expand the pump to people with Type 2 diabetes, with an expected launch in early 2025. The FDA has not yet cleared any automated insulin delivery systems for people with Type 2 diabetes, Insulet said. The company has a basal-only insulin pump, called Omnipod Go, that was cleared for people with Type 2 diabetes last year, but it does not connect to other devices. Even though Omnipod 5 is not currently indicated for Type 2 diabetes, doctors prescribe it for their patients with full reimbursement since the pharmacy channel doesn't distinguish between Type 1 or Type 2 patients, J.P. Morgan analyst Robbie Marcus wrote in a research note on Sunday. https://www.medtechdive.com/news/insulet-omnipod-5-type-2-diabetes-study/719644/ XX In the keynote address at the American Diabetes Association annual conference, FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf expressed concerns about the rising rates of diabetes in the U.S. Though revolutionary medications and technologies for diabetes and weight loss continue to emerge, these treatments are vastly underused. The silver lining lies with type 1 diabetes therapies, which are showing great promise in clinical trials. “For the larger epidemic of type 2 diabetes, we're failing right now,” Califf said. “I don't say that lightly.” A huge problem, Califf said, is access. While most health insurance plans cover medical devices and medications for diabetes, without insurance, costs add up quickly. Ozempic, for example, costs nearly $1,000 per month without insurance. Studies have found that regardless of insurance status, roughly 26% of Americans skipped or delayed treatment due to cost. https://diatribe.org/diabetes-management/fda-commissioner-says-were-failing-people-type-2-diabetes XX Embecta presented two abstracts at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions last weekend making the case for its insulin patch pump for Type 2 diabetes. The company submitted the device for Food and Drug Administration clearance in late 2023. The diabetes device company developed a patch pump with a larger insulin reservoir that can hold up to 300 units. Embecta, which is better known for making equipment such as pen needles and insulin syringes, has been developing its first patch pump. The company found that a device with a larger insulin reservoir could provide longer wear times and fewer disposable patches. https://www.medtechdive.com/news/embecta-insulin-patch-pump-volume-american-diabetes-association/719779/ XX   Pump/CGM sensor in one The niaa signature patch pump, shown with a watch displaying current blood sugar level The niaa signature patch pump has a manual bolus button and is part of an in-development AID system. Swiss technology maker Pharmasens demonstrated a new semi-reusable tubeless patch pump and glucose sensor in the same compact device, called the niia signature, which the company says can be worn for five days.   The top of the device, which includes Bluetooth connectivity and the electronic and mechanical parts to control the pump, separates from the disposable 300-unit reservoir along with the adhesive used to attach the device to the body via a steel cannula. A small button on the device allows manual bolusing. The company says an AID system will manage the device, controlled by smartphone.   PharmaSens' simpler basal-bolus patch pump, the niia essential, was submitted for FDA approval in late December. Availability of the niia signature AID system has yet to be announced. https://diatribe.org/diabetes-technology/diabetes-technology-display-ada-2024 XX Edgepark Commercial XX New international consensus statement offers guidance on the care and monitoring of people who are at high risk for type 1 diabetes (T1D). This is all about screening and testing for islet autoantibodies. These individuals are classified as: At risk or Stage 0 (single autoantibody or transient single autoantibody), Stage 1 (two or more autoantibodies with normoglycemia), and Stage 2 (two or more autoantibodies with dysglycemia but without symptoms and not yet meeting diagnostic criteria for Stage 3 clinical T1D). The document was presented on June 24, 2024 in a 90-minute symposium at the American Diabetes Association's annual Scientific Sessions and published simultaneously in both Diabetes Care and Diabetologia. "This is not guidance around who to screen or when to screen. This is guidance for the hundreds of thousands of people around the world who have participated in screening, mostly through research programs, and have been identified with positive autoantibodies and need care in the clinical setting," panel co-chair Anastasia Albanese-O'Neill, PhD, APRN, CDCES, of Breakthrough T1D, told Medscape Medical News.   The recommendations also include when to start insulin, and how to provide education and psychosocial support to individuals and family members of those given the early-stage T1D diagnosis. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/experts-advise-early-risk-monitoring-type-1-diabetes-2024a1000bpo XX Roblox has added a diabetic option, complete with insuli pen and Dexcom You can find it in the marketplace JDRF – now breakthrough t1d – started a world in roblox a couple of years ago as well Roblox is a super popular online game that a lot of kids play. https://www.roblox.com/games/5823990610/Breakthrough-T1D-World XX FFL next week! Join us again soon!

It's In the News! A look at the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. Top stories this week: South Africa runs out of insulin pens - and why this could happen anywhere, once-weekly insulin is approved in Canada, update on Omnipod 5 with Dexcom G7 rollout, more older people are getting type 1 but more people are living longer with it, CGM at the Olympcs and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links:   Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX Quick note – the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions is this weekend. That means new research studies will be released, technology announced, and likely lots of news will be made. I'm recording this before the conference starts – if there's enough going on we may have an additional In the News next week. XX Our top story right now… XX No more insulin pens for South Africa.. .as the pharmaceutical industry shifts production priorities to blockbuster weight-loss drugs. Novo Nordisk, the company that has supplied South Africa with human insulin in pens for a decade, opted not to renew its contract, which expired last month. No other company has bid on the contract — to supply 14 million pens for the next three years, at about $2 per pen. Novo Nordisk's  drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, which are widely prescribed in the U.S. for weight loss, are sold in single-use pens produced by many of the same contracted manufacturers who make the multidose insulin pens. A month's supply of Ozempic in the United States costs about $1,000, far more than insulin. Novo Nordisk dominates the global market for insulin in pens and has supplied South Africa since 2014. Eli Lilly, the other major producer, has indicated in recent months that it is struggling to keep up with the significant demand for its weight-loss drug Zepbound. Novo Nordisk is continuing to supply human insulin in vials to South Africa, where more than four million people live with diabetes, but pens are considered much easier to use and more precise. The vial system was phased out for most South Africans in 2014. But recently, South Africa's National Department of Health instructed clinicians that they should teach patients how to use vials and syringes of insulin instead of pens. I posted about this already and said this is a canary in the coal mine and everyone going to ADA should be asking Novo and Lilly about this. GLP medications are fantastic but insulin cannot be left behind. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/19/health/insulin-pens-south-africa-ozempic-wegovy.html XX Once a week basal insulin – for type 1 and type 2 – comes to Canada. Novo Nordisk announced that it's version of insulin icodec will be available starting June 30th. They are calling it.. Awiqli – I promise I didn't make that up.  Canada is the first country to get the product. Awiqli works as a time release of insulin over the course of a week. It is more expensive. And  Canada's Drug Agency, which assesses drugs and recommends whether they should qualify for reimbursement under public drug plans, is still doing the math here. No word on private insurers coverage yet. An FDA advisory board recently passed on approving weekly basal for people with type 1, saying the risk of low blood sugar was too great. But the full FDA hasn't yet weighed in.   https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/world-s-first-weekly-insulin-injection-coming-to-canada-in-2-weeks-manufacturer-says-1.6929321 XX The prevalence of people over 65 living with type 1 diabetes  went up 180% in the past 30 years, a new study finds. That's an increase of 1.3 million people over 65 in 1990 with the disease to 3.7 million in 2019, the authors noted in a study published on June 12 in The BMJ. Data included people from 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019. Dying from type 1 diabetes slipped by about 1% every year since 1990, the data also showed. The mortality for people 65 and up went down by 25% during the three decades covered in the study. The most rapid prevalence was in North Africa and the Middle East, and Western Europe, and the slowest increase in prevalence was in North America. All 21 regions around the world had an increased prevalence of type 1 diabetes in people over 65. The disease no longer contributes to a reduced life expectancy for many people due to medical care improvements, say these researchers. https://www.mcknights.com/news/report-type-1-diabetes-prevalence-in-older-adults-nearly-triples-since-1990s/ XX Hearing more about the limited rollout of Omnipod 5 with the Dexcom G7. This was announced in February but just seems to really be getting underway. A few people have received emails that people new to the system will be getting this first.. but that at the end of July current users will get a controller update so they can use G7 with the current pods. We'll have more on this soon – I don't have a link for you - but thanks to all of you who sent me those emails very much appreciate it. XX New life possible for Korean insulin pump EOPatch– this is a competitor to the Omnipod. A court has killed an injunction that meant the company, EOFlow, could not bring the patch pump to the US. Last year, the court initially granted that injunction and Medtronic backed out of an acquisition plan. No word yet from Medtronic if that deal is back on.. or if another company may work to bring EOFlow to the US. https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/ban-against-insulin-pump-patch-sales-reversed-by-federal-circuit XX The CeQur Simplicity patch is now FDA-cleared for up to 4 days of wear. This is a mechanical patch pump that replaces fast-acting injections. This is an extension from 3 days to four.. now each patch replaces up to 12 injections making it the longest wearable insulin delivery patch. The company says that can be 1000 fewer shots a year. Marketed mostly to people with type 2 diabetes who use insulin, the company says nearly 90% of patients using CeQur Simplicity reported following their insulin regimen better as compared to multiple daily injections.(4) The patch is clinically proven to improve glycemic control, with patients achieving significantly improved A1C and time-in-range (TIR) goals.(5,6) https://www.prweb.com/releases/cequr-simplicity-a-wearable-mealtime-insulin-delivery-device-obtains-fda-clearance-for-4-days-of-wear-to-further-simplify-diabetes-management-302173938.html XX A warning from Roche which says “dangerous counterfeits” of its diabetes medical devices ended up for sale on Amazon. Roche accused manufacturers and sellers based in India of selling counterfeit versions of test strips for its Accu-Chek glucometers.  This is part of a federal lawsuit. Roche said the counterfeit test strips are expired or nearly expired products that are repackaged with counterfeit labels bearing Roche's registered U.S. trademarks and fake expiration dates. After the suit was filed, a judge granted Roche's request for a temporary restraining order to stop the defendants from selling the counterfeit products. The Amazon stores that were offering the products for sale appear to have been taken down. Amazon is not a defendant in the case, but Roche claims that as part of the alleged scheme all of the counterfeit products sent to the U.S. were stored at Amazon warehouses across the country, including in Brooklyn. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/10/roche-counterfeit-diabetes-medical-devices.html XX Edgepark Commercial XX Summer Olympics this year may be a showcase for CGMs. Abbott is sponsoring a Dutch long distance running, he'll be wearing the Libre. Other athletes are using the CGMs in training and may wear as allowed in their sports. There isn't a lot of proof yet that these devices make a big difference for people without diabetes.. but high level athletes are looking for any edge possible. Expect to hear a lot more about this in the lead up to the Olympics July 26th. https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/olympic-athletes-turn-to-diabetes-technology-in-medal-chase/7653234.html XX Join us again soon!

It's In the News! A look at the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. Top stories this week: Dexcom goes Direct to Watch in the US, Abbott gets FDA okay for its OTC CGM, new study about metformin during pregnancy, an update on semaglutides, JDRF changes its name, and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links:   Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX Our top story this week – some CGM news… Dexcom announces Direct to Watch is here in the US. From the release: Using its own dedicated Bluetooth connection, Dexcom G7 sends glucose information and personalized alerts right to a user's Apple Watch. Dexcom G7 is the only CGM system that can display glucose on multiple devices simultaneously and independently, including on a smartphone, smart watch, receiver or connected automated insulin delivery system.‡ Apple products are built with strong privacy protections and users have control over their data in the Health app. (If you like to keep track of these things, we are just over 7 years since the official announcement this was going to happen) XX FDA approves Abbot's over-the-counter continuous glucose monitoring system. It's called Lingo and comes a couple of months after Dexcom won clearance for its Stelo over-the-counter CGM. Abbott has been selling Lingo in the UK as more of a lifestyle device – not aimed at people with diabetes. They call it a consumer biowearable designed to help people make decisions about their overall health and wellness; Lingo is not intended for use in diagnosis, treatment or management of a disease or medical condition. No word yet on exactly what kind of app they'll launch here in the US or if it will be marketed toward people with diabetes like the Libre currently is.. just as an OTC option. While it seems like the same hardware, the company has not confirmed that. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/abbott-wins-fda-clearance-for-its-lingo-otc-glucose-monitor/ XX New study looking at the use of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs by rural children and adolescents living with type 1 diabetes. Previous studies examining the use of CGMs by children relied on prescription records to identify use of these devices, but just because someone is prescribed a CGM does not mean that they use one; barriers such as cost can stand in the way. this study instead identified use of these devices according to billing codes for the interpretation of CGM readings by the provider. The results unearthed a sizeable disparity. Those living in rural areas were significantly less likely to use a CGM than those in urban areas, even after adjusting for sex, race or ethnicity and insurance type. Specifically, compared with youth living in urban areas, the use of CGMs was 31% lower for children and adolescents living in small rural towns, and 49% lower for those living in isolated rural towns. The gap between rural and urban patients persisted across the four years of the study, even as the use of CGMs increased for all patient types during this time. These results are also relevant to people with type 2 diabetes who require insulin, Tilden said. The results also revealed that non-White patients, those who had public insurance and patients who lived in areas with a higher NPI all were less likely to use CGMs. More research is needed to explore the reasons for these disparities, but Tilden said they likely are a function of such issues as cost, reduced internet access, which CGMs require to relay their data, and distance from clinics and Medicaid-contracted pharmacies.   The next step is figuring out how to eliminate those disparities. These researchers are seeking funding to design an intervention that uses telemedicine and partners with a network of 35 clinics across Kansas to deliver specialty care to diabetes patients in rural areas.   https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive/diabetes-monitoring-disparities.html XX Metformin is just as safe to use during pregnancy to treat type 2 diabetes as insulin. The study, which hasn't been published yet in a peer-reviewed journal, tracked health data and potential long-term side effects of using metformin during pregnancy for up to 11 years postpartum. While today's popular GLP-1 medications, such as Ozempic, are not approved yet for use during pregnancy, metformin and insulin have been used during pregnancy for decades. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/metformin-may-be-as-safe-as-insulin-to-treat-diabetes-during-pregnancy XX Once weekly basal insulin is a no go from an FDA advisory panel. They found the potential benefits of the investigational once-weekly basal insulin analog icodec (Novo Nordisk) don't outweigh the increased risk for hypoglycemia in people with type 1 diabetes. We've been following this for a long time. Most of the trials here have been in people with type 2 – and the FDA hasn't publicly raised concerns about efficacy and safety seen in any of those trials. But the type 1 trial found a significant increase in serious or severe hypoglycemia with icodec compared with degludec (4.66 vs 1.0 events per 100 patient-years; 14 events in nine patients versus three in three patients), with the greatest incidence in the icodec group on days 2-4 after injection. None of the events resulted in treatment discontinuation or study withdrawal. This doesn't mean the FDA can't approve the drug – and the panel mentioned that they hope the FDA would work with Novo Nordisk to – quote - make sure that if this is approved there are as many guardrails as possible to make sure we don't harm people with type 1 diabetes." https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/advisory-panel-votes-against-once-weekly-insulin-type-1-2024a10009we XX The shortage of Ozempic and Mounjaro continues… with some doctors offering advice of what to do if you can't fill your prescription. Health care company Ro recently launched a public crowd-sourced shortage tracker to help patients. The company says they also share the patient-reported shortages to the FDA. Chae says some patients could discuss with their doctor off-label use of other medications, like liraglutide injections (such as Trulicity, for example), depending on their preexisting conditions. Patients may also consider trying compounded semaglutide. Compounded drugs are made to order in local pharmacies, but Chae says be wary of them: Because of their bespoke nature, the drugs' safety isn't regulated by the FDA. “The state of Mississippi, North Carolina and West Virginia have banned these compounded drugs,” he said. https://www.scrippsnews.com/health/popular-diet-and-diabetes-drugs-in-short-supply-as-demand-surges XX Commercial XX Big news from JDRF – they've changed their name to "Breakthrough T1D." Here's the statement: "Breakthrough T1D was selected following a rigorous, data-informed process because it more accurately conveys the nonprofit's ability to connect with and work on behalf of the entire type 1 diabetes community," The median age for a person living with T1D worldwide is 37 years. Only about one in five are aged 20 years or younger, two thirds are aged 20-64 years, and another one in five are aged 65 years or older.   The organization was founded in 1970 by parents of children with T1D and was originally called the "Juvenile Diabetes Foundation." The "research" part was added in 2012 to reflect that aspect of its mission. We will have much more on this next week – Tuesday's episode is an interview with JDRF. Oops with Breakthrough T1D. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/type-1-diabetes-group-grows-jdrf-now-breakthrough-t1d-2024a1000afr XX Android users – heads up! The FDA has approved a hybrid, closed-loop, insulin-delivery Android app. In May, CamDiab, revealed that the CamAPS FX had received approval. CamAPS FX is approved for people with type 1 diabetes who are two years of age or older, including those who are pregnant.   CamAPS FX works in unison with the FreeStyle Libre 3 and the Dexcom G6 to produce a hybrid, closed-loop system that is compatible with the Ypsomed mylife YpsoPump. The app and those pumps are already approved in several other countries. You may recall that the YspoPump had a partnership with Lilly to bring that pump to the US – but that deal died in 2022. Yspomed is still moving forward to get FDA approval for their pump. https://beyondtype1.org/fda-approves-camaps-fx-hybrid-closed-loop-insulin-delivery-app/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR137RhLAt2GfIJ_BBYMrhU2R-maQ0EQmwOFhPfKN9iCnG2BKWY6dEB0sTk_aem_ATLPk1xWOnLNzPz7LvYINbTdCVMZk7pcRmma2pgG5MIo0OfinomTSgjsTsTpW_fE6GNVRnScZS6UGzaTvP1SewNW XX Driven by payments for diabetes treatments — especially insulin — prescription drugs for metabolic diseases now make up nearly one quarter of total national pharmaceutical spending, reported a study of spending trends by therapeutic class. The detailed examination of a decade's worth of US drug spending also found changes in who pays for the medicines, with an overall drop in out-of-pocket costs, except in the metabolic disease category. The findings add to concerns about the costs of US diabetes treatments. Annual US spending on diabetes medicines surged from $27.2 billion in 2011 to $89.2 billion in 2020,  according to this paper was published online in Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy. In the same period, total annual pharmaceutical spending rose at a far slower rate. Yet much of the persistent gain in the cost of diabetes treatments in this same period was due to a decades-old drug, insulin, a cornerstone of diabetes care. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/study-raises-concerns-about-rising-cost-diabetes-meds-2024a1000a8e XX The number of people aged over 16 with insulin-dependent diabetes and eating disorder symptoms is as high as one in four, a study has revealed. Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland examined the findings from 45 past studies, looking at data from almost 11,600 people with insulin-dependent diabetes. They say that understanding the extent of the issue is the first step in developing treatment pathways, citing Finland as an example of a country which does not have care pathways for people with both diabetes and eating disorders. Of course, neither does the US. Typical eating disorder symptoms include restricting food intake and binge eating. Symptoms particular to insulin-dependent diabetes include insulin omission, which is when individuals restrict or skip insulin doses due to fears of putting on weight. The prevalence of eating disorder symptoms was higher in women than in men, a finding previously made in young people too. The age of an individual was not found to be a factor, with eating disorders occurring regardless of age group. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2024/jun/1-in-4-people-with-insulin-dependent-diabetes-have-eating-disorder-symptoms-research-shows.html XX Congrats to Kate Farnsworth who recently won Diabetes Action Canada Catalyst for Change award. Many of you know Kate from the early DIY days.. Kate Farnsworth is the patient partner co-lead for the Innovations in Type-1 Diabetes Program. Kate has been heavily involved in the Do-It-Yourself #wearenotwaiting movement since her daughter Sydney was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 8. With a background in information technology and graphic design, Kate has lent her skillset to developing diabetes watch faces for remote monitoring used by patients worldwide. Kate has created an online patient-driven support community for people who are exploring DIY closed-loop solutions and continues to advocate for all people with diabetes to have access to the best tools to manage their diabetes. Very nice to see this award go to someone very well deserved. XX Join us again soon!

It's In the News! A look at the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. Top stories this week: more older adults are being diagnosed with type 1 and people with T1D are living longer, Eversense gets iCGM designation, new drug to prevent low BG is being tested, Tandem diabetes app recall, and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX Type 1 diabetes is increasingly affecting older adults in the US, with prevalence rates peaking in those aged 45 to 64, according to recent research published in JAMA.1 The life expectancy for people with T1D has increased over the last 15 years, which has led to increased prevalence among older adults.2 The CDC currently estimates that approximately 1.8 million people in the US have T1D.3 The study utilized data from the 2019 to 2022 cycles of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), representative of the noninstitutionalized US population. The study included over 141,000 participants (110,283 adults and 30,708 youths). The increasing prevalence of T1D in older adults suggests that further research is needed to develop treatment guidelines that include strategies to optimize treatment in older adults living with T1D. Current clinical practices often extrapolate from data on younger populations or those with type 2 diabetes, which may not be entirely appropriate for older adults with specific needs in terms of cardiovascular and glycemic management.   https://www.ajmc.com/view/t1d-prevalence-rising-among-us-adults-study-finds XX Pancreatic cancer research may have implications for diabetes. These reserachres were looking at an enzyme called focal adhesion kinase (FAK). During the trials, quote - "The pancreas looked weird, almost like it was trying to regenerate after an injury," Even weirder, a cluster of cells in the pancreas were expressing both insulin and amylase. In normal mice and humans, the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin is produced by beta cells, while amylase, a digestive enzyme, is manufactured by different cells. The functions of acinar and beta-cells are very distinct, so it didn't make sense that the cluster of cells looked like a combination of the two. Esni and his team had in fact stumbled upon this holy grail. In a new Nature Communications paper, the researchers show that a FAK-inhibiting drug, which has been studied in cancer treatment, converted acinar cells into acinar-derived insulin-producing (ADIP) cells and helped regulate blood glucose in diabetic mice and a single non-human primate. The findings suggest that FAK inhibitors could be a new avenue as a replacement for insulin therapy in diabetic patients. With the eventual hope of launching a clinical trial to test FAK inhibitor in diabetes patients, Esni and his team are now planning long-term experiments in mice to look at the duration of hyperglycemia control after a single course of the drug in mouse models for type 1 or type 2 diabetes. They're also investigating the effects of FAK inhibition in pancreatic tissues from human donors. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-05-repurposed-cancer-drug-diabetes-nudging.html XX A report published today by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and T1International shows astonishing markups by pharmaceutical corporations on insulin injection pens and newer diabetes medicines. Currently, only half of all the people in the world who need insulin have access to it. Doctors without borders  is among the few humanitarian groups currently procuring insulin pens. Based on MSF's research of the cost of production, long-acting insulin pens, which are the standard of care in high-income countries, could be sold at profit for as low as $111 per patient per year, which includes insulin and the device needed to inject it. This is 30 percent less than human insulin in a vial with syringes, which have always been thought to be the most affordable option   The US must do more to ensure equitable access to diabetes drugs worldwide “While the announcement of a recent US Senate investigation into Novo Nordisk's GLP-1 drug prices is an important step, the US government must do more to ensure equitable access to diabetes drugs worldwide,” https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/diabetes-only-half-people-who-need-insulin-world-have-access-it XX The U.S. FDA on Wednesday warned about a software glitch found in the Tandem Diabetes' t:slim X2 insulin pump, classifying the issue as a Class I recall, the agency's most serious type of recall. HOWEVER.. this happened in March and Tandem says it's been resolved. Here's what happened..   The error was found in the Apple iOS-based software version of the t:connect mobile app used for the t:slim X2 insulin pump with Control-IQ technology. The defect causes the app to crash down and relaunch repeatedly, leading to excessive Bluetooth communication, which in turn drains the pump battery and leads to an unexpected pump shutdown. More than 85K t:slim X2 insulin pumps distributed in the U.S. between February 12 and March 13 have been affected by the issue, which the FDA has categorized as a correction. Tandem Diabetes (TNDM) sent a letter to affected customers in March requesting them to update the app. After a discussion with the management, Citi said that 98% of users have updated their apps to version 2.7.1, released on March 13. The company has not seen any issues with the latest app version and expects the update to permanently fix the defect. Citi retains its Neutral rating on the stock. XX HIGH POINT, N.C., March 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- vTv Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: VTVT), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of cadisegliatin (TTP399) as an adjunctive therapy to insulin for the treatment of type 1 diabetes ("T1D"), today announced the submission of the study protocol to the FDA for the Company's first Phase 3 trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of its lead candidate, cadisegliatin, in adults diagnosed with T1D. The Phase 3 study will assess two doses of orally administered cadisegliatin versus placebo in patients currently being treated with multiple daily insulin injections and continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion, who use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). The primary efficacy endpoint of the study will compare the incidence of Level 2 or Level 3 hypoglycemic events between cadisegliatin-treated subjects and those in the placebo group. It received a breakthrough therapy designation (BTD) based on its Phase II trial (NCT03335371), which showed a 40% decrease in the frequency of severe and symptomatic hypoglycaemic events along with a decrease in serum and urine ketone events in the treatment group. Cadisegliatin is not yet licensed or approved anywhere globally and has not been demonstrated to be safe or effective for any use. Cadisegliatin (TTP399) is an investigational liver-selective glucokinase activator that has been studied in healthy volunteers and in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. XX Timing is everything.. the same day we released our episode about the Eversense CGM last week, Senseonics, in collaboration with Ascensia Diabetes Care, has announced that its Eversense product received an integrated continuous glucose monitoring (iCGM) designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This marks Eversense as the first fully implantable device to achieve such status, paving the way for future devices of its kind through the FDA's De Novo pathway. The iCGM designation signifies that the system can be integrated with compatible medical devices, such as insulin pumps, to create an automated insulin delivery (AID) system. https://www.medicaldevice-network.com/news/senseonics-eversense-icgm-designation-fda/ XX Commercial XX     XX A big win for Georgians with Medicaid who have #diabetes. Governor Brian Kemp signed into law a bill that expands #CGM access to persons with Medicaid and diabetes who are insulin therapy and removes the age limitation and endocrinology requirement. Please see ADA press release below. Please share. https://lnkd.in/g_WVTNpi American Diabetes Association   XX 61-year-old ultrarunner Linda Carrier is the first woman to complete the World Marathon Challenge (seven marathons on seven continents in seven days) three times.   Plus, she has run 78 marathons and 55 half-marathons and is currently in the process of running a marathon in all 50 states with just 12 to go.   To add to the wow factor, Carrier has accomplished it all while managing type 1 diabetes for nearly 50 years.   “I naturally like to challenge myself, and when someone says [you have] a life-shortening disease, I'm like, heck it's not. I'm going to show them that I'll be the longest-living type 1 diabetic,” Carrier told Healthline.   She was 14 years old when she learned she had the condition. Because her older sister had been diagnosed a few years before, Carrier was familiar with the symptoms. She also knew the outlook was daunting. She will finish her latest goal of running a marathon in all 50 states next October in Twin Cities, Minnesota. The race will be sponsored by Medtronic.   “Seems like the perfect way to finish,” Carrier said. “And to show that type 1 diabetes should not stop you from reaching any of your goals, whatever it might be.” https://www.healthline.com/health-news/linda-carrier-diabetes-marathon XX Join us again soon!

This week, managing type 1 diabetes into your 70s is a bit of uncharted waters.. While thankfully more and more people are living long with T1D, that wasn't always the case. I'm taking to Dianne Mattiace who is in her early 70s and was diagnosed as an adult, 30 years ago. She was the first person in the US to use the Eversense CGM when it was approved in 2018 and she's still using it today. She answers your questions about this implantable CGM, why she's stayed with it and what else she does to manage in retirement and beyond.   This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. More about Eversense here Our previous episodes about Eversense here  Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode Transcription:  Stacey Simms  0:00   Diane Matisse. Thanks so much for joining me. Welcome to Diabetes Connections. It's great to talk to you. Dianne Mattisse  0:04   Thank you so much for having me. Yeah, let's Stacey Simms  0:07   jump right in. Let's start with your diagnosis story, because you were initially misdiagnosed, right? Take me through what happened? Yes, Dianne Mattisse  0:15   I was 40 years old. And my family history was type two diabetes. And they actually, as soon as you say that to a physician, and it was a general practitioner, it was not an endocrinologist, they automatically just put that label on me and said, you know, you're another type two in your family. It went on for about three months. And I actually was in the honeymoon phase, which now was not even recognized back then. But I, it was at the time where you're making enough insulin to keep you from going into DKA into ketoacidosis end up in a hospital, but not enough to make you feel well, so my blood sugar's were still rising, the medication they had me on wasn't working. And finally, after, I think about three or four months, well, during that time, I saw an endocrinologist. And he also was doing a lot of testing, even the C peptide, which is now a diagnosis tool wasn't able to be done where I lived, they had to send it out to a lab in Atlanta. So once that was kind of established, he admitted me, and started me on insulin and, you know, multiple injections per day, Stacey Simms  1:35   why did you What led you to actually seek out an endocrinologist? Dianne Mattisse  1:39   I was not feeling great with the general doctor treating me and I just kept getting worse and worse. And I was taking oral medications, they weren't all these designer meds that they have now for type twos. Back then it was couple pills. So I was I would call them increase the pills. And as I was increasing the pills over the three or four months, so was my blood sugar increasing, and I kept losing weight. And I'm thinking, well, this is a great diet I'm on I was eating better. But my blood sugar's were going into the three hundreds. So finally, I had been in the medical field before that, actually, it was in the medical field at the time, I was a controller for a nursing home company, but it didn't really have access to a lab or anything like that. I was actually the Regional Controller. And I was on the financial side, right? So I actually went to a lab got my blood sugar taken. I didn't even think to buy a meat or anything like that, which I should have, but I did not. And I kept seeing my blood sugar's go up and up and up. And so I finally just on my own said, I'm gonna go to an endocrinologist. And as soon as I went, he told me, I think you're a type two. And type one, I think you are type one, misdiagnosed as a type two. And let's do some testing. He started he did the C peptide, sent it out, did a bunch of other tests. I have no no recollection. Now, it's been 33 years of what else he did. But over that weekend, so that was like a Friday over that weekend, I just be compensated more I started getting muscle cramps, I called him and he said, go to the hospital Monday morning, seven o'clock and bring a bag you're being admitted. So I did. And he said, I was really on the brink of going into diabetic ketoacidosis. So it was really, really just, you know, it's good that I went to the hospital that morning and got on insulin, I think but I think a lot of people when they're diagnosed after 40 or 35, I just talked to somebody the other day who was diagnosed at like 55. And I think the older you get, the less they even think it just automatically think you're a type two. Yeah, yeah, Stacey Simms  3:58   it's something like half of all cases of Type one are occurring and people over the age of 20. But as you say, once you're over 20, many doctors don't know that it could be type one. I hear a lot of stories of Pupil misdiagnoses type two who have type one of a lot of people who have lotta, you know, latent autoimmune diabetes in adults. I don't hear a lot of these stories happening in the late 1990s. Or prior to that time period. Did you ever talk to your endocrinologist? Like, I don't want to say he was cutting edge because it was pretty obvious you were suffering, right at that point. But it is interesting that this was 33 years ago, and somebody finally got it right. Dianne Mattisse  4:41   I think I was just so sick. By the time I actually went to see him and I had lost about 40 pounds. By that point. He looked at the amount of medication oral meds that I was on, and I think it had been about a period of three months and I kind of was keeping track of the blood sugars on a piano And a little notebook back then, that we had. And he looked at that and said, you know, you're you're decompensating, you're not doing well on any of these meds, the amount of weight I had lost. And I was young, younger. So I wasn't. I mean, I was losing muscle mass, but it wasn't as noticeable if I had been 60 or 70 years old. And he said, You're losing muscle mass. And you're just feeling so bad. I mean, I remember going on a trip with my husband. And we went to the Statue of Liberty at that point. It was you were able to go up the stairs and go into the statue. Yeah, well, we actually went with some family members. And this is before I actually was on insulin about a month before. And I remember going up three steps, and turning around and telling my husband, I can't do this. Oh, wow. And we had always, I had always been going to the gym be doing aerobics. Back then more of a runner than walking. Walking is more popular. Now. Of course, you know, less on the joints and everything. But I was a runner back then I was into aerobics. I was very athletic skier and, you know, snow ski or water skier. And he looked at me and said, What do you mean? And I said, I can't do it. I'm out of breath on step number three, I need to turn around. So that kind of pushed me to figure out. And now when I look back at those pictures of what I look like, I'm like, I actually looked very, very sick. I mean, that weight for me was not a normal weight ever in my life. Maybe when I was 10. Stacey Simms  6:45   For a lot of weight, I Dianne Mattisse  6:48   think I weighed 103. And I mean, I think I weighed more than that. Honestly, in fourth grade. Yeah. Stacey Simms  6:53   Wow. Especially for somebody athletic. That's really tiny. Right? Right. Um, Dianne Mattisse  6:59   you know what it is? It's it's denial. Oh, because nobody in my family. I mean, my family thought I look great. You're, you're on a diet, you're doing great, everything's good. But they didn't know how I was really feeling you know, health wise, I felt horrible. And weak and, and constantly thirsty, and constantly urinating and, you know, in the bathroom all the time and starving me, you actually are starving your body. And it's just the worst, it was a thirst. When I describe it to people, it was a thirst that no matter how much you drank, you could never make it go away. It was just something that was there all the time. So I mean, it was very, I was very lucky to find the right endocrinologist that, like you said, was a little bit of ahead of time, and kind of just said, You're a type one. You're not a type two, there's just no way and immediately hospitalized me and got me on track. So Stacey Simms  8:00   I'm imagining that you did go home with a meter this time. Do you mind taking us through your technology journey because we're here to talk about you know what, you're one of the first people to use the ever since Dianne Mattisse  8:12   I was first I was the first person implanted in the United States with the ever since and my doctor who is in Opelika, Alabama was the for about Columbus, Georgia. And he has an office in OPA Leica. He was the first person to be sort of the first physician to be certified. Wow, the technology. Let me tell you technology now. I always say this if you have to have a disease and a chronic disease. I'm so happy now that I have all of the help and see GMs I had actually left the hospital with a meter. And it was like, I think he had to wait two minutes for it to actually read. You know, your drop of blood. It had to be a much bigger drop of blood and all that. My doctor at the time would not there were pumps, but they were obviously much larger. And the CGM, the first CGM that I had was I had to go to the hospital and have it put on and I wore it it was a big box and I had to wear it for seven days. Then go back to the hospital. They would take the recording out they would review and and print everything, send it to my endocrinologist and then I had to go back to the endocrinologist for a report. So it only took a week of my life and of course, like anybody else I was sure that I was doing everything right and trying to have good read, you know a good recording done. So I would get a good report when I went there. Now I had changed my my original endocrinologist had a family tragedy with his son, so I had to change endocrinologist. And I thought I had a really good endocrinologist. But for some reason, she didn't really push me with the CGM. So I really pushed that. And I have been on all of them. I've been on all of the 10 to 14 day ones I've been on. Like I said, the original one that had to wear for seven days. And honestly, the last one, not the last few years before I went on, ever since I did not, they didn't get along with my body. I mean, I had too many alarms. I had too many failures. I had skinny rotations, I had just inaccuracies. And I finally said to myself, I'm not being compliant because of it. So I just started doing more meter checks. And I tried to manage my diabetes, which I could not I mean, to be honest, I was thinking I was compliant when I when I moved to Alabama and got with my physician now, my endocrinologist. I was not I was not being compliant, because I didn't have a CGM. So I mean, it's almost impossible to stick your finger every five minutes. I was gonna say do Stacey Simms  11:19   you think the right word is compliant, though? I mean, you were trying, right? It's not like you were in your like, I hit that non compliant page. I Dianne Mattisse  11:27   was right. You're right. I was trying. But now that I look back, I'm like, I should have. Well, there was nothing like ever since before I got it. So it was funny thing. My husband heard about it. I actually moved to Alabama a year earlier than my husband he was working down there want to do is finish his job for another year. And so I moved to Alabama, because we bought a house on the spur of the moment. We're on a visit up here. And so yeah, we weren't it wasn't a plan. It was not a plan. We just did it. So when I came up here, I did not have a physician here. I didn't even have a primary. But I did have a pump and I needed to get my supplies. So I I actually called there's only two endocrinologist in Auburn, Alabama. And that's about a half hour from where I live. So one of them wanted me to have a referral. But I didn't even have a primary yet. So I called the other one. Because I needed to get my insulin and my supplies. And they gave me an appointment. And it was funny. I went in on a Thursday to see Dr. Baliga. And he looked at me and said, This is my you know, I'm a new patient started talking to me about the ever since. Have you ever seen it? Have you ever heard about it? And I said, you know, it's funny. My husband saw something on the news about it a few months ago, and he mentioned it to me, but I hadn't seen anything else about it. So he started telling me about it that it was something that was placed under the skin. You wore it for at that time, it was 90 days now it's 180 days. And I said well, let's let's do it today, because he made it sound so wonderful that you wouldn't have to be doing, you know, I would know something every five minutes, I would know if you know and I was familiar with other products that gave you arrows, whether you're going up whether you're going down so you can kind of fix things as you're going along. I didn't have that right now. When I went to see him so I'm like, Ah, it sounds great. He goes well wait, we we haven't got he was at the FDA had certified it. He was certified, but they had to bring the team from Atlanta at the time. So he says but we can do a Tuesday. And I'm like, Okay, I can't wait. I mean, I was so excited. So I had it placed on Tuesday four days after I saw him and I'm now on number 24th sensor and it has been actually so life changing for me i One of the main reasons I was so anxious and happy to hear about something like that is because I was having severe low blood sugars at night and nothing not to wake me up. I mean I My husband actually would call me every morning at 839 o'clock to make sure I had made it through the night that I was still alive. So it was a horrible really way to live and I was having multiple sometimes multiple low blood sugars during the day and or blood glucose during the day. And then I would treat them and then I would go up and down you know so it was it was just up and down cycle and you don't feel well with that at I don't anyway most people don't because you you know you now you have to fix this and you know hope that it fixes that. So once the I got on ever since that disappeared, basically disappeared from my life, I maybe have one, low blood sugar, maybe once every two months now, I have a very, very low percentage less than 1%, every 90 days. So it's amazing to me how technology has changed my life and made me feel like I can actually live kind of like a normal life. I need it. And I also was never really addicted to looking at my phone all the time, like a lot of younger people do. And you know, I don't do a lot of selfies and but now, I mean, I do sit at the table and have my phone there because I want to see what's going on. And if I'm out to dinner, I put it there. And I want to see if it's going down, is it going up? And it gives me that you know that that safety net of, I'm not going to go high, and I'm not going to go low. Do you mind if I ask Stacey Simms  15:57   what other technology you're using because the CGM alone isn't going to prevent lows. Dianne Mattisse  16:02   I have an insulin pump. I don't have the loops. I don't use that because I have the CGM that I 100% believe in and, and love it. I do have a meter. And I do have to calibrate the Eversense once a day, which to me, gives me that feeling of security and safety that I am getting good numbers throughout the day. And if something's really off, you know if it feels like it's off, I will check with my meter. But I use the meter a lot less to be honest, I you know, I really trust you ever since. And I mean, it's been it's proven to me because many times the meter and the ever since will have exactly the same number, or within a few a few numbers. And that makes me feel so much better. Right. Stacey Simms  16:53   But you use you use a pump. That's just I wouldn't call it a dumb pump. But you don't use an automated system. I Dianne Mattisse  16:59   don't use the loop. I don't use the automated system. It has the capability. Okay, but but I don't I just that's not an important factor for me, right? Stacey Simms  17:10   I mean, I'm just trying to be clear for folks that you know, we're listening, you know what you're using in right with, I mean, my son, it's funny to look at technology because he was diagnosed in 2006. So we went, you know, shots and meter, and then DME pump and meter for forever. And then CGM pump your meter to calibrate like you say, and now in 2020, he went closed loop. So he's got a pump that communicates with the CGM. So it's just wild to see how it all works. All right, all the questions people have about ever since tell us about the insertion and the removal, because a lot of that makes a lot of people uncomfortable to think about. Dianne Mattisse  17:49   Right, right. I think the placement of the ever sense has, I think a lot of people think about it as a surgery and as this and that, it really is such a tiny little, maybe just a tiny little incision, not even as big as your pinky fingernail. And they actually, you know, they numb you, of course, and then they put the little the little sensor right under the skin. I mean, you can actually kind of feel it through the skin, you know, which is helpful when you're placing the transmitter. And it doesn't. I mean, honestly, it doesn't hurt at all, I'd rather have that done and then have my teeth cleaned, to be honest. I mean, it's it's really that simple. And I've had, like I said, I'm on number 24. And it's really nothing the removal is the same thing. It takes maybe the insertion the longest part of the insertion or the placement is getting the Lidocaine to numb the area, you know, they actually do it in a very sterile way comes with a big sterile cape. And you know, you're laying on the table and they clean the area very well. I've never had an infection I've never had any what I would call any bleeding I mean it might bleed a little tiny bit, but they cover it with steri strips, there's no stitching, there's no you know, there's nothing like you have to go back and have surgery looked at it or anything like that there's no stitches or anything like that. So the removal my physician has always used an ultrasound for removal. So I think that has become very popular because I belong some a lot of these pages that people talk about it and I can actually feel mine because it really is right under the skin and but I think the ultrasound kind of helps them know exactly where the end is. Because listen, there's you're putting it under the skin, it could move a little bit it could you know turn or whatever, right so I've never really had any issues. I mean, you hear horror stories from people who have never even had it, which really is quite annoying, because I think it's just like slamming a restaurant, if you've never eaten there, you know, just and I think the greatest thing is that we have a choice. Now, it might not be for everyone. But it is something that for people who get these severe irritations or allergies to certain products, you know, with some of the 10, the 14, ones, 14, day 10 to 14 day CGMS. And also, I think a lot of people worry about getting it knocked off. And the cost of it, were this the transmitter, which where you were on the outside, if it comes off, you know, you just stick a new adhesive on it and stick it back on. The other great thing is, you know, we live by a lake and we have a boat. And if I want to go swimming, I take my transmitter off, I get into the water. And I don't have to worry about anything, I don't have like a permanent thing going into my body a permanent or fish going in, you know, which always kind of bothered me going into a pool or going into a lake or something like that. This is once that heals up after a couple of days, there's nothing really on the outside plus it you know, the great thing about ever since also is it uses a different kind of technology. It's not the same technology as other CGMS use. So I believe and this is personally my opinion, I believe that it's much more accurate because of the type of technology that they're using. It's very advanced, Stacey Simms  21:47   you being the way the sensor reads. Yes, the way the sensor reads. And you said you had a lot of irritation from the other CGM. You don't have any irritation with the adhesive that the transmitter sticks Dianne Mattisse  21:59   on at all. None at all. None at all. The little adhesive ups the little adhesive that we put on the back of the transmitter is very very skin friendly. Very skin friendly i and I'm fair and I have blue fair skin blue wise, so I have had pretty severe irritations with other CGM said I had to move them around and try different things and try different products under it. Also products to keep them on, which haven't had to do that either. You know, this kind of stays on? And I don't really think about it. I mean, I think more about checking my phone now than I do thinking about having the sensor. So tell me again, Stacey Simms  22:47   this is your 24th Yes, sir. How long will this one stay in? Dianne Mattisse  22:54   Six months, not? Well, it stays now up to 180 days or up to six months. beginning it was up to three months. And I do know that the FDA is working on the approval for the what 365 Day, which we're all looking forward to that. What I mean, I love going to my doctor so I'm like, you know, I we always kid around. So you know, we have to stop meeting like this. But yes, I mean, it's a it's going to be quite awesome for a lot of people to get it for one year because I do go to my doctor every three months to get prescriptions for the other supplies I need and insulin and things like that. But some people only go to see their endocrinologist or their primary doctor only once a year to manage your diabetes. Stacey Simms  23:49   In the six months, I'm just trying to you know, I'm trying to picture that you think that all the different the CGM changes that would happen within six months. Have you had any issues any reason to go back to your endo and say take a look at this get out the ultrasound machine or is it smooth sailing for you? Dianne Mattisse  24:05   I haven't had any issues for several years. I mean, we're going on six years this July that I've had it the greatest thing is which I've never used the most recent products I'm not sure but but the ever since has an online or on your phone whole picture of what's going on. So I'll tell you how long you're you know how much time you're in. It will tell you exactly the percentage time and range and it also will tell you seven days, 14 days, 30 days, 60 days, 90 days so you can actually see and it will also tell you what your estimated A1C will be it will tell you what percentage is low you're in the low area what percentage you're in high so it gives you all kinds of information. The greatest thing is my doctor has that information also. So if I make a call to him, and I say, you know, I'm not doing well, something's not right, I can't get the sugars down and, and it's not the pump I, you know, I've moved it, I've changed insulin, all that thing, all those things, then he will go on there and say this is what you need to do. But this is what we need to change around, you know, because it's all based on the insulin that you're getting and the activity. It's nothing really I don't feel to do with the CGM. Right? So with the sensor, so I haven't ever had to call him and say, I think it's a sensor. I think most of the time, it's just been the amount of insulin. Or maybe I'm sick. You know, maybe if I have an illness that's not, you know, I had or I made a couple months ago, I had take a steroid shot my wrist. And that just blew me out of the water. So I called him and he was like, Okay, this is what we need to do for two days, you know, so the CGM? No, I mean, I find no fault with that. I mean, I think if the built in protection there is if your meter reading when you put in your calibration in the morning, which I do mine in the morning, you can kind of set it up to do whenever, but I always want to do it first thing in the morning, because I want to know where I'm starting anyway, my day, is it going to be good, bad or ugly that day? So I put my calibration number in there. And if it's, let's say it's off, it's off by 30 or 40 points, you know, you, the sensor itself will tell you something's not right. And it will actually ask you to do another calibration in another hour or so. So, to me, it's, it's kind of a safety check. So that I don't worry about it going off, and being kind of crazy on its own. Because, you know, if something like that happens, and I'm sure with technology, everything has, you know, kinks in it. They you would call the customer service, they have great customer service. And they can actually do a lot with Reese not resetting it actually totally, but figuring out if it really is the sensor really is you. I've had to do a reset on the sensor maybe? Stacey Simms  27:20   Sure. Um, I'm curious, you had mentioned you're in some groups, and I'm sure you know, people who also were there ever since and a lot of people who are interested in it. What's the first question people ask you about it? Like diabetes people? Dianne Mattisse  27:35   How about how is the insertion? How is the placement? Does it hurt? Does it scar does it? How is the surgery? You know, they all like to think it's surgery and everything? Because listen, when you're thinking about that you're thinking about, I don't know, maybe they're thinking of a transplant or something. But it's a very simple thing. And there's a lot of other medical procedures now that use these placements under the skin. There's hormonal ones. I know there's a testosterone one, I think there's an there's one for birth control now. So it's it's, you know, very upfront technology that's being used a lot in medical treatment. So it's not anything, you know, that people should be afraid of. I mean, this is an advanced, very advanced product, I think, and simple life is so much simpler with this, you know, just, I mean, once every six months now you go in, I mean, you're it's 15 minutes, and you know, I mean, the 10 minutes, I'm waiting for the Lidocaine to work. That's, that's the biggest thing. Stacey Simms  28:44   Do you have scoring? Do you have a scar on other very Dianne Mattisse  28:46   fair, like I said before, and I don't scar and usually the FDA requires that they switch arm to arm every six months. So like, they'll do the left arm and then they do the right arm. So in that meantime, I can't even like when I go back to have the removal. If if the sensor has already expired, like but I usually try to go a couple days before. If it's expired, of course, it's not going to have a reading. And then, you know, I have to really figure out where it is because I don't see the scar anymore. There is actually I think it's so tiny that it heals up. I mean, you're supposed to leave the bandaging and everything on instructions or five days. Usually, it's healed up in about two or three days completely healed. You can't even really see anything. So I mean, some people would scar I would imagine, but I mean, I think you have that's the trade off or having a totally accurate CGM. That's easier. That's less expensive than things that are failing and you have to replace all the time I mean, for me, it's, it was never I never thought twice about that. I may be by my age, I have a lot of scars anyway, from falling, and it's like, you know, I'm not worried about having perfect skin anymore. So, but no, actually, because I'm fair. I, I did think about that, but but only for about two seconds. Stacey Simms  30:25   Well, you know, and if you don't mind, um, you know, I'd love to talk about aging with type one. I mean, you know, it's different. Life is different from 20 to 50. Certainly, you've mentioned like, you don't run so much anymore, you know, so I don't want to make a whole Pash of like we all know we're getting older. For lucky, we know we're getting older as like, but you know, years and years ago, people weren't living past 50 type 1 diabetes, let alone 70. And I have listeners in their 80s. And we know people in their 90s with type one. So it's a pretty wild. So I Dianne Mattisse  30:58   73. It's changed 73. My A1C is 6.6. I'm so proud of that. Because when I first got the Eversense inserted, it was in the mid nines or a little bit higher. It wasn't 10, but it was in the night. So I've made tremendous strides in getting it down being healthier. And I'm just very proud of that. Because you know, I would like to be in the fives but I, you know, I'm fine. My physician is fine with it being in the sixes, getting rid of the low blood sugars was a huge thing for me because many, many people die in the middle of the night from having a low blood sugar. And that still happens to people and really with CGM and all these choices, it shouldn't happen. And the fact that the CGM gives me this vibration, I know all anywhere, anytime, if I'm out eating, if I'm in bed sleeping, I know I'm going to get a vibration that's going to tell me what's going on. So that has really helped me be happier in my life. I think I worked 25 years in health care as administrator and then 25 years is real estate. Now I'm retired but I do a lot. I have a charity I'm treasurer for up here in Alabama, that does art. We provide art classes and projects for kids in the schools here, elementary schools and some high schools. I have a little word working business with my sister here, we make maps of the lake and we sell to all the little stores around here and everything. And I keep very busy, I also do a transaction. I'm a transaction broker for my son who's a broker in Florida. So I do a lot of paperwork online for him. So I keep very busy. But the fact that I'm getting older, you know, and I know people will say this, you talk to anybody old, your mind is still young, you still look you know, when you look in the mirror, you go Who is that old lady, but when you when you when you feel good, and I feel so much better with a normal blood sugar. I don't feel like I'm that age, you know, I mean, I I enjoy traveling, I traveled to Florida quite a bit because of a lot of relatives and friends still down there having been there for a long living there my entire life basically. And I feel comfortable traveling by myself, which is a huge thing. Because I can tell you 10 years ago, I did not I mean, I always wanted to have my husband or my son or somebody with me. So that getting old and having diabetes. And I've been very lucky because I don't have any side effects. I don't have any complications from having diabetes for so long. I mean, on one hand, I was very lucky, I didn't have to go through puberty or childbearing. So I got it when all that was done, had my children and everything. But on the other hand, you know, 33 years when I think back 33 years is a long time to be dealing with a chronic disease 24/7 And I don't think anybody really understands that it is a full time job. It is something that is with you 24/7 You cannot forget about it even for a day. I mean, it's dangerous if you think you can, but you just can't. But getting older. I just like to I'm so excited to see all the things that have have come from diabetic technology, all the opportunities that we have now. I love being part of the ever since group of people because honestly I never knew anybody growing up, you know, during when I was diagnosed at 40 I never knew another type one. I felt very isolated and kind of depressed about it because I'm like, even in my family, they didn't really acknowledge it because Nobody had the knowledge about it, they knew a lot about type twos and you should lose weight, eat better and exercise, but they didn't really know much about why I was a type one or how I was managing it or how encompassing it was to your life. So I think just having better communities, among us is has helped tremendously for me. And the ever since has just been, like I said, before, life changing for me, no matter what age I would have gotten it, I think it's just the best product because it's the easiest product to use. And I've used them all, I mean, you can't name one that I haven't used and, and I've gone through the progression from when they had to put it on the hospital until the very newest ones. And nothing really, my body didn't like them for whatever reason. But getting old is great. I just look at it and go, I have friends from first grade still, that I see when I go down. And I'm like, you know, and they, you know, most of my close friends know when everything and they, they are very supportive, but they don't really understand it. So now that I understand it better. I'm okay with that. I mean, I think age has just made me feel like, Hey, I am so lucky to be here and feel as good as I do can be as active as I want to be. No, I don't run anymore, and I don't ski anymore. I last skied when I was 65 And I'm like, hey, that's it. I'm done. I'm not doing that anymore. I you know, I got away without ever having a broken bone or anything. Or last time we went, you know, I went with a bunch of younger girls and, and family, bunch of family. And and I'm like, Hey, I'm skiing is good as he's 40 year olds, but I'm not risking it anymore. Yeah. Stacey Simms  36:45   So I meant to ask Do you know is ever since covered by Medicare? I can look that. Yes, I Dianne Mattisse  36:49   did. Absolutely. Now the first couple years, it was not. And my husband I made that decision to pay out of pocket. But yes, it is covered now. That's great. Yes, right. covered. And it covers the insertion and the removal for the physician also, which I think some of the other insurances don't but but yeah, that was not the deciding factor for me. I mean, we paid out of pocket, and and we just knew it was going to be the best thing for me. Stacey Simms  37:18   Good to know, though. I mean, it's really interesting, again, with a lot of my older listeners, you know, and as we are so excited that people with type one are living to Medicare year and beyond, right, it's really important to look at these things. It is it's a deciding factor for a lot of people. Yes. Okay, before I let you go, Diane, how did you get hooked up as an ambassador? I mean, it makes sense. You're the very first patient in America. So I guess it's kind of a dumb question that everybody wants to speak out, you know, right? Dianne Mattisse  37:42   Well, I never Well, okay. So like I said, I never really was in a group of people, I didn't really even have anybody. You know, nobody in my family, nobody to talk to. So the team came from Atlanta, when I had my first insertion, placement, they'd like you to lose placement. So when I had my first placement, the team from Atlanta came, and that was six years ago, this July. So the person who is head of the sales now I believe, she was on that team, and she came in, and we kind of hit it off. And then I think it went on for about, I think six months later, they decided to get a group together, and call them the patient ambassadors. And that's when that is before a Sensia actually got began, began to be involved in the marketing. So that was when Sen. psionics was doing it. So this person picked eight or nine people. And we still have, I believe, four or five of the original ambassadors, and now it's more demographically varied. You know, we have young, I obviously, I'm the older person, you know, but it is good, because I think it's, you know, it shows that it's for everyone. I mean, there's not an age barrier. And there's not a weight barrier. There's not any kind of barrier, except you have to be a type one and you have to want this device. And it's just but that's how are we got hooked up and we kind of it kind of slacked off a little bit when we became the marketing went over to a Sensia. And they had that agreement with a Sensia. And then they picked four or five of the original people and and you know, we're still very close, we have our own little group chats and things like that. So and it's good because now I know if I have a question or if they have a question we can get with each other. It's it that is the greatest thing. I think younger people or anybody now, Facebook has pages, you know, people like you who are spreading the word. I mean, if there had been This, I think I would have felt so much better. I mean it I'm almost getting teary here. But I think I would have felt so much more inclusive, then than I felt for many, many, many years. So I think that you're doing a wonderful thing by spreading the word and helping people and sharing. And I think you know, somebody like your son, who's 19 is going to have a whole different experience with this than I did. And, you know, because you just by 40, you've gone through all those teenage angst and everything but and I was done having children everything, but then it's like, what the heck now? i What is this, you know, coming on, and I was healthy at that time. And I'm like, What did I ever do? Never did drugs, never smoked. Never, you know, there wasn't all the information about immune system, autoimmune and it runs in my family. We have so much autoimmune disease, but not type one. Yeah. So but the patient ambassador, it's a greatest group, we have a blast when we get together. That's awesome. Well, Stacey Simms  41:10   doing the show is truly a privilege for me, you know, getting to talk to people like you and learning so much. I really appreciate it. Diane, thank you so much for joining me. I hope we connect again soon. So Dianne Mattisse  41:21   and I hope you are very good at that editing.  

This week, we get an update from Dexcom. Chief Operating Officer Jake Leach talks about their soon to be launched CGM for people with type 2. It's called Stelo and it's front of the FDA right now. We also answer a lot of your questions about G6, G7, interoperability, connectivity and what's next. Some information on Stelo: https://diatribe.org/new-dexcom-cgm-people-type-2-diabetes-not-using-insulin Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode summary (AI generated) A new CGM product for people with type 2 diabetes. Stacey Simms and Jake Leach discuss a new CGM product for people with type 2 diabetes, currently under FDA review. Stello extends sensor wear to 15 days while maintaining accuracy and reliability for CGM users, regardless of insulin titration. Stello aims to help people with diabetes understand how food impacts their glucose levels through a simple and user-friendly CGM device. CGM for type 2 diabetes and payer coverage. Jake Leach explains how the new CGM product will notify users of high glucose levels without alerting them to take insulin, providing valuable insights into food and diet impact on glucose levels. Stacey Simms seeks more detail on the product and its potential for long-term use, expressing interest in education and training for users to fully understand and benefit from the technology. Stacey Simms asks Jake Leach about the continuous use of CGMs, and Jake explains that the product is designed to be engaging and provide value continuously, with users learning and improving their diabetes management over time. Jake also mentions that the company is working with payers to expand coverage for CGMs beyond Medicare, as it can be a challenge for people without insulin use. CGM access, naming, and interoperability. Stello is a cache pay product starting off affordable and competitive, with potential for reimbursement as evidence of benefits grows. Jake Leach: Excited about new brand for Dexcom, with different design for new population, but still with expected performance reliability. Jake Leach: G6 and G7 interoperability is a focus, with Omni pod integration and launch timing controlled by Dexcom. G7 features and enhancements. Jake Leach: Enhancements made to Bluetooth connectivity on G7 device, now available across channels and geographies. Jake Leach discusses the company's focus on improving sensor reliability and user satisfaction through ongoing software development and user feedback. The company prioritizes features based on user feedback and releases them in a timely manner, with a dedicated team working on the Apple Watch feature. Dexcom's CGM technology and its potential for more widespread access. Jake Leach and Stacey Simms discuss the evolution of G7, including its smaller size and reduced environmental footprint. The company is working on a direct-to-watch submission and has validated alerts and alarms on the watch platform. Dexcom aims to provide best CGM for users' pump systems, partnering with multiple companies globally. Jake Leach is passionate about expanding access to CGM technology for people with diabetes worldwide.  

I feel so lucky to have been part of the conversation that makes up this week's episode. My guest is Stacey Simms, herself a big name in the diabetes world, and the host of the Diabetes Connections podcast. At one of her Mom's Night Out events, she had told me that she had a question about her T1D son's transition to college — and here she is to talk about it. Stacey starts by naming a few different areas where she's struggling as her son transitions to college and she transitions to his independence. The first is simply about him leaving and the ways that she worries about his diabetes management, especially since they had made an agreement that she would no longer be on Dexcom share once he left for college. She also notices her reactions to his management style when he is back at home and wonders how the conversation about diabetes should look now that he's a young adult. And as the topper: This super experienced T1D mom questions whether she did a good enough job teaching her son about diabetes. This is a robust conversation about the ongoing challenges of parenting our T1D kids, even as they become young adults.Listen to hear more about:*The ways we sometimes compare our child's diabetes “performance” to that of other kids*The challenges we feel about our own adequacy when our kids aren't doing as well at management*The balance of our feelings of awe and respect for what our children carry and our critical feelings towards our kids for the things they forget or don't get right with management.*What it means to be “impressed” by what our kids are managing and how to communicate that authentically while still giving them space to fail with diabetes.*How to talk to our young adult kids about their management*Remembering that our kids might still need and want our help with diabetes — and how to ask them about that*The ways that it feels like the worry about T1D never stopsMentioned in this episode:Need help getting your kid the right snacks?That's why I've created the Sweet Talk Snack Course. It's a free mini-course to give you 6 snack sized lessons on making sure you're giving your kid the right foods to keep them nourished and their blood sugar in check. Get it at https://diabetessweettalk.com

Today I'm talking with Stacey Simms. Stacey is the founder of Diabetes Connections and the host of the Diabetes Connections Podcast.Stacey launched her diabetes podcast back in 2015 and has since launched a second podcast, Diabetes Type 2. She's a published author, renowned speaker, and the organizer of Mom's Night Out - an overnight conference for moms of children with diabetes.In this episode, Stacey shares her podcasting journey and the impact the medium has had on her career. She also shares details about an upcoming Moms Night Out event in Charlotte.Diabetes Connections with Stacey SimmsMoms' Night Out 2023 - CharlotteBooks mentioned:Start with Why by Simon SinekAtomic Habits by James ClearThe 2024 Lake Norman Visitors Guide, produced by The Best of LKN, is available now. Download your free copy at discoverlkn.com.The Best of LKN is an Epic Journey Media production.Support the show

It's In the News, a look at the top stories and headlines from the diabetes community happening now. Top stories this week: Vertex pauses their stem cell transplantation trials after a patient death, spray insulin is tested, learning more about Dexcom's sensor for type 2, measuring A1C through menstrual blood and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcript: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX Our top story this week… XX Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has paused a study of stem cell–derived, fully pancreatic islet cell replacement therapy (VX-880) following two patient deaths. Neither death is related to the therapy itself - called VX-880 – according to the company. Vertex says they plan to share full data soon. In the study that was paused, 14 patients with type 1 received infusions of VX-880 and standard immunosuppression. After 90 days, 13 of the patients have an A1C under 7 without using exogenous insulin. This was the study that made a big splash in the New York Times in late 2021 with the headline “A Cure for Type 1 Diabetes?” and featuring Brian Shelton among others. Shelton is one of the two patients who have died.   https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/vertex-pauses-islet-cell-study-after-patient-deaths-2024a10000oe XX Early days but researchers in Norway are testing an insulin body spray. Patients squirt the insulin directly on to their inner forearm, where skin tends to be thinner, allowing easier absorption. Within minutes, it gets absorbed into the bloodstream. This joins other research on skin patches packed with micro-needles that punch tiny and reportedly painless holes in the skin to let insulin seep through. The spray contains insulin and propylene carbonate, a chemical often used in cosmetic skin creams to help them penetrate the outer layers of the skin. In this case, it's hoped the chemical — attached to insulin in the spray droplets — will help the hormone seep as far as the tiny blood vessels that lie beneath the surface of the skin, where the hormone will then get absorbed into the bloodstream.   InsuLife, the Norwegian company developing the body spray, is setting up a trial involving 12 patients with type 1 diabetes to see how different doses of the spray compare with injected insulin in controlling blood-sugar levels. It is used just before a meal, like injected insulin.   The clinical trial was set up after a study involving five people found the spray reduced blood sugar levels by about 20 per cent after a meal. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12965203/insulin-spray-arm-diabetes-jab-Hope-sight-millions.html XX The FDA clears the Qvin's Q-Pad™ A1c Test System which uses menstrual blood to get an A1C result. The kit is intended for the collection of menstrual blood samples by individuals 18 years of age and older using the Q-Pad, a pad with an embedded blood collection strip (Q-Strip). Each kit includes 2 Q-Pads, a return sample container, and a stamped mailing pouch. The FDA clearance was based on data from a clinical validation study that included 198 participants. Samples were collected using the Q-Pad Kit and were returned to the laboratory by mail. To provide the reference sample, a venous blood draw was performed on participants by a phlebotomist. An analysis of both samples demonstrated that the clinical performance of the Q-Pad test system in measuring HBA1c was equivalent to the traditional method of blood testing. https://www.empr.com/home/news/fda-approved-q-pad-test-system-uses-menstrual-blood-to-measure-hba1c/ XX Learning more about Dexcom's upcoming CGM designed for people with type 2 who don't use insulin. It's to be called Stelo and they've submitted to the FDA with an eye on a late summer launch. I was at the announced last June – this is a system that will have very few alerts and alarms.. Stelo looks a lot like the G7 but will have different software and will last for about 15 days per sensor. https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/11/24034098/dexcom-stelo-cgm-diabetes-health-tech-ces-2024 XX Tandem Diabetes Care's t:slim X2 Insulin Pump Automated Insulin Delivery System is now the first to incorporate the Abbott FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus Sensor for users in the United States. The FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus sensor is a modified version of the FreeStyle Libre 2 sensor cleared in 2023 by the US Food & Drug Administration for use with automated insulin delivery (AID) systems. The move follows Tandem's December announcement of integration with the recently available 10-day Dexcom G7 sensor. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/tandem-insulin-pump-system-integrates-libre-sensor-2024a10000iq?form=fpf XX If you use Omnipod 5 with an Android, there's a software update you need to do. The FDA has issued a Class one correction recall. due to a software error that occurs when the user enters a bolus amount less than 1 unit without putting a leading zero before the decimal point. This recall is not a product removal and users should have already received an alert that won't let them use the app until they do the software update. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/medical-device-recalls/insulet-corporation-recalls-omnipod-5-android-app-due-software-error#:~:text=Reason%20for%20Recall,zero%20before%20the%20decimal%20point. XX   Embecta continues to move ahead with its insulin patch pump.. submitting a 510(k) premarket filing to the FDA for its proprietary insulin patch pump. This is a disposable pump for people with type 2 diabetes. It also has a closed-loop version under development to follow. That version features an embedded algorithm that requires Embecta to run a clinical study. Henry Anhalt, chief medical officer, says nine out of 10 people with diabetes live with type 2 diabetes. However, Anhalt says the majority of automated insulin delivery systems cater to those with type 1 diabetes. Embecta aims to offer more options and tools to the broader diabetes care community, he says.   https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/embecta-submits-insulin-patch-pump-fda/ XX Update on insulin prices.. as a few prices changes went into affect at the beginning of the year. So, what took effect this month was that Sanofi followed suit with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to implement this cap on insulin co-pays at $35 that took effect January 1. And that comes after the provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act capped insulin for people on Medicare at $35. The Medicare cap is automatic and part of policy. For everyone with commercial insurance, the cap is voluntary from the companies. For those without government or private insurance, the picture is more complicated. If your insulin is still more than $35 per month, ask your pharmacist for coupons or check out getinsulin dot org. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/new-law-caps-insulin-prices-for-some-with-diabetes-but-cost-remains-high-for-millions   XX       Commercial XX XX Young adults who reported higher stress during their teenage years to adulthood were more likely to have high blood pressure, obesity and other cardiometabolic risk factors than their peers who reported less stress, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association. Cardiometabolic risk factors often occur together and are a significant cause of cardiovascular disease. These include obesity, Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, researchers noted. In 2020, cardiometabolic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and Type 2 diabetes, were the most prevalent chronic health conditions and collectively accounted for nearly a quarter of all deaths in the U.S., according to the American Heart Association statistics. In 2023, the American Heart Association noted the strong connections among cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, Type 2 diabetes and obesity, and suggested redefining cardiovascular risk, prevention and management.   https://finance.yahoo.com/news/childhood-stress-linked-higher-risk-100000670.html XX Shout out to NBC News for a great story they did recently on LADA – featuring two women who have both been on this podcast. Dr. Phyllisa DeRoze and Mila Clark were both first misdiagnosed with type 2 before they got a correct diagnosis of LADA. I'll link up the NBC story along with our chats with both women.. thanks to Mila for giving me a mention as one of the voices in the diabetes community who made her think was she had might not be type 2.. but could be LADA. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/diabetes/diagnosed-type-2-diabetes-may-different-form-disease-rcna132571     XX Join us again soon!

Sarah and Beth process reporting on the SCOTUS's overturning of Roe v. Wade and the impact on pregnancy care in America.TOPICS DISCUSSEDReporting on the Supreme Court's Dismantling of Roe v. WadeThe Life-changing Fallout of Abortion Bans in Pregnancy CareOutside of Politics: Football as Our Shared ExperienceUPCOMING SPEAKING EVENTSDiabetes Connection Mom's Night Out in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Friday, February 2nd at 7 pm. You can register here and use promo code Pantsuit to save $30 (Sarah talked with their founder, Stacey Simms, in our 2023 episode, What Diabetes Can Teach Us)Sarah and Beth will deliver the keynote at the Commerce Lexington Emerge Conference on Tuesday, March 12. Register Here.For more information about bringing Sarah and Beth to your organization or institution in 2024, fill our our interest form hereVisit our website for complete show notes and episode resources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's In the News, a look at the top stories and headlines from the diabetes community happening now. Top stories this week: a new study looks at food-as-medicine for type 2, another FDA warning about fake Ozempic, new research says gut markers may help predict who Tzield will work best for, JDRF partners with NFL and more... Happy New Year - we'll see you in 2024! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Take Control with Afrezza  Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX Our top story this week… XX You often hear people say food is medicine.. but an intensive program trying to show that's the case did NOT improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes any better than usual care. This was a randomized clinical trial. After 6 months, both groups had a similar drop in HbA1c -- 1.5 percentage points among program enrollees and 1.3 percentage points with usual care, with no significant differences in other metabolic lab values between the groups either, the researchers wrote in JAMA the food-as-medicine participants even gained some weight compared with the usual care group over 6 months (adjusted mean difference 1.95 kg, P=0.04). "I was surprised by the findings because the program is so intensive," Doyle told MedPage Today. "The health system built brick-and-mortar clinics, staffed them with a dietitian, nurse, and community health worker, had weekly food pick-up for 10 meals per week for the entire family, and participants spend a year in the program."   Costing an estimated $2,000 annually per participant, the food-as-medicine program allowed participants to choose from a variety of vegetables, fruits, and entrees each week -- enough food for two meals a day, 5 days a week. They were also provided recipes and cooking instructions and met with dietitians to track goals. On the other hand, the control group was only provided usual care, a list of local food bank locations, and the option to join the program after 6 months.     The trial was conducted at two sites, one rural and one urban, in the mid-Atlantic region. It recruited 465 adults with type 2 diabetes who completed the study, all of whom started with an HbA1c of 8% or higher. All participants were also self-reported as food insecure. The average age was 54.6 years, 54.8% of participants were female, 81.3% were white, and most resided in the urban location. Of note, all participants also resided in the program's service area and were affiliated with the health system that ran it.   "One study should not be over-interpreted," said Doyle. "It is possible that such a program could work in other contexts, among patients less connected to a health system, or in other formats. The main alternative to providing healthy groceries and education is to provide pre-made 'medically tailored meals.'"   "I hope the study raises awareness of the potential for food-as-medicine programs to increase healthcare engagement and to push researchers and policymakers to generate more evidence on ways such programs can improve health." It's worth noting that there is very little study – much less clinical trial level study on this type of thing. The researchers say they hope it spurs more research to find methods that will have a large impact. https://news.mit.edu/2023/food-medicine-diabetes-study-1227 https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/dietnutrition/107998   XX New information about moderate low carb diets for people with type 1. The study published in The Lancet Regional Health - Europe is the largest of its kind to date. Participants were for different periods randomly assigned in a crossover manner to eat a traditional diet with 50% of the energy from carbohydrates, or a moderate low-carbohydrate diet with 30% of the energy from carbohydrates.   The 50 participants all had type 1 diabetes with elevated mean glucose, long-term blood sugar, and injection therapy with insulin or an insulin pump. Half were women, half men. The average age was 48 years. Participants on a moderate low-carbohydrate diet were found to spend more time in what is known as the target range, the range within which people with type 1 diabetes should be in terms of glucose levels. The increase in time within the target range was an average of 68 minutes per day compared to the traditional diet, while the time with elevated values ​​was reduced by 85 minutes per day. The researchers saw no evidence of adverse effects. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20231220/Moderate-low-carb-diet-safe-and-effective-for-adults-with-type-1-diabetes.aspx   XX Researchers at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals have identified an enzyme that blocks insulin produced in the body—a discovery that could provide a new target to treat diabetes.   Their study, published Dec. 5 in the journal Cell, focuses on nitric oxide, a compound that dilates blood vessels, improves memory, fights infection and stimulates the release of hormones, among other functions. How nitric oxide performs these activities had long been a mystery.   The researchers discovered a novel “carrier” enzyme (called SNO-CoA-assisted nitrosylase, or SCAN) that attaches nitric oxide to proteins, including the receptor for insulin action. Given the discovery, next steps could be to develop medications against the enzyme, he said. https://thedaily.case.edu/new-cause-of-diabetes-discovered-offering-potential-target-for-new-classes-of-drugs-to-treat-the-disease/ XX The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday warned consumers not to use counterfeit versions of Novo Nordisk's diabetes drug Ozempic that have been found in the country's drug supply chain.   The FDA said it will continue to investigate counterfeit Ozempic 1 milligram injections and has seized thousands of units, but flagged that some may still be available for purchase. The agency said the needles from the seized injections are counterfeit and their sterility cannot be confirmed, which presents an additional risk of infection for patients.   Other confirmed counterfeit components from the seized products include the pen label and accompanying information about the healthcare professional and patient, as well as the carton. The FDA urged drug distributors, retail pharmacies, healthcare practitioners and patients to check the drug they have received and to not distribute, use or sell the units labeled with lot number NAR0074 and serial number 430834149057.   People who have Ozempic injections with the above lot number and serial number can report it directly to the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-warns-ozempic-counterfeit-diabetes-weight-loss-rcna130871 XX New research indicates that information in the gut may predict how well a person responds to Tzield. That's the medication approved earlier this year to delay the onset of type 1.  These findings reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine, casts a new spotlight on the immune system's relationship with the microbiome, revealing how gut microbes can shape the progression of type 1 diabetes. With this new knowledge in hand, clinicians may better pinpoint patients who are most likely to respond to teplizumab. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-12-gut-microbes-patients-response-drug.html   XX Experts are advocating for universal screening for type 1 diabetes. With the availability of Tzield and other medications on the horizon, there's a stronger push for screening earlier in life. At least 85% of people who are newly diagnosed do not have a family history of diabetes. Testing for autoantibodies can be completed at home through the TrialNet clinical trial program, or at a doctor's office or lab. For instance, JDRF's T1Detect program provides at-home testing for $55, with lower-cost options for people in financial need. The 2024 American Diabetes Association (ADA) Standards of Care recommend more intensive monitoring for the progression of preclinical type 1 diabetes. The Standards of Care also recommend using Tzield to delay the onset of diabetes in people at least 8 years old with stage 2 type 1 diabetes. https://diatribe.org/type-1-diabetes-it%E2%80%99s-time-population-wide-screening XX Commercial XX   https://www.healthline.com/health-news/the-years-biggest-medical-advancements-in-diabetes-treatment XX DRF, the leading global funder of type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, is recognizing the NFL stars who showcased their creativity and a remarkable show of support as part of the highly anticipated annual "My Cause My Cleats" (MCMC) campaign.   The My Cause My Cleats initiative allows NFL players to wear custom-painted cleats during selected games to raise awareness and funds for the charitable causes closest to their hearts. The unofficial start of the campaign begins on Giving Tuesday with unboxing day events showcasing the players' cleats and the stories behind them. It continues through weeks 13 and 14 of the season, culminating with the players donning their cleats on game day. After the games, some players donate their cleats to their chosen charities or the NFL auction, with all proceeds going toward their selected causes.   Type 1 Diabetes is a life-threatening autoimmune condition that affects people of all ages, regardless of family history or lifestyle choices. To live, people with T1D must carefully balance injecting or infusing insulin with their carbohydrate intake throughout the day and night. T1D impacts approximately 1.6 million people in the U.S. It is unpreventable, and there is currently no cure.   This year, JDRF is thankful for the support of several players who have T1D or are advocating for their loved ones with T1D, including Mark Andrews of the Baltimore Ravens, Orlando Brown, Jr. of the Cincinnati Bengals, Blake Ferguson of the Miami Dolphins, Collin Johnson of the Chicago Bears, Chad Muma of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Nate Peterman of the Chicago Bears, and Kevin Radar of the Tennessee Titans.   "The NFL players who support JDRF through the My Cause My Cleats exemplify the passion and determination at the heart of the type 1 diabetes community," said Kenya Felton, JDRF Director of PR and Celebrity Engagement. "They serve as inspirations for many adults and children affected by T1D, demonstrating that with an understanding of T1D, effective management, and a good support system, you can overcome the challenges of the disease. Their support helps to increase awareness and is significant in helping JDRF advance life-changing breakthroughs in T1D research and advocacy initiatives."   Since its inception in 2016, the MCMC campaign has provided a platform for many NFL players and affiliates to support JDRF's mission, including Beau Benzschawel, David Carr, Will Clarke, Keion Crossen, DeAndre Carter, Reid Ferguson, Jaedan Graham, Jarvis Jenkins, Collin Johnson, Henry Mondeaux, Jaelan Phillips, Adam Schefter, Brandon Wilds, and Jonah Williams. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nfl-stars-support-jdrf-and-champion-type-1-diabetes-awareness-through-the-my-cause-my-cleats-campaign-302022060.html   XX Join us again soon!    

We're talking about raising kids with type 1, the journey to diabetes independence, and educating around the use of emergency glucagon. We're bringing you a panel discussion from Moms' Night Out Frisco! We have terrific speakers at our Moms' Night Out events but we also have some panel discussions. This time around it's Stacey and Cami DiRoberto. Cami's daughter, Maci, was diagnosed with type 1 at age 7 in 2017. She and turned 13 just after our conference back in October. Couple of quick housekeeping notes: this was presented and recorded as a hybrid Zoom and in person presentation – Cami broke her arm and was unable to attend in person. Her audio is fine, but Stacey's recorded through the computer mic and isn't up to our usual standards. We're providing the transcript below. Cami is a Gvoke ambassador and this panel was sponsored by Xeris Pharmaceuticals, the company that makes Gvoke. This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Note: Gvoke is a prescription injection for the treatment of very low blood sugar in adults and kids with diabetes ages 2 and above. Do not use if you have a specific type of adrenal or pancreatic tumor, starvation, chronic low blood sugar, or allergy to GVOKE. High blood pressure, hypoglycemia, and serious skin rash can occur. Call your doctor or get medical help right away of you have a serious allergic reaction including rash, difficulty breathing, or low blood pressure. Visit www.gvokeglucagon.com/risk for more information. Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Take Control with Afrezza  Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription:  Stacey Simms  0:05 This is Diabetes Connections with Stacey Simms. This week talking about raising kids with type one, the journey to diabetes independence and educating around the use of emergency glucagon. I'm bringing you a panel discussion from moms Night Out Frisco. This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Welcome to another week of the show. You know, we aim to educate and inspire about diabetes with a focus on people who use insulin. I'm your host, Stacey Simms and my son was diagnosed with type 117 years ago this week right before he turned to he's almost 19 years old. He's a freshman in college and he's far from perfect. I'm far from perfect but cannot believe how far we have come at our moms night out events. We always have terrific speakers. Coming up for our Charlotte event. In February we have Sarah Stewart Holland. She is the co host of pantsuit politics, and her son was diagnosed really not too long ago. She went through that very publicly, and just going to be sharing her story. Our other speaker is Madison Carter. She is a local TV news anchor who lives with type one herself. But we also have some panel discussions at these events. This time around you're going to hear me and Cami de Roberto hammies daughter Macy was diagnosed with type one at age seven in 2017. She had her birthday just after our conference, which was back in October a couple of quick housekeeping notes. This was presented and recorded as a hybrid zoom and in person presentation, kami broke her arm and was unable to attend in person. Her audio is great, but mine recorded through the zoom. And it is pretty rough. My amazing editor John has worked his magic the best that he can. But I'll be honest with you my side of the conversation is not up to what I think our usual standards are around here. I will tell you though, I'm putting a transcription in with this episode. Wherever you're listening, you should be able to scroll down on the podcast app and see and read what you're listening to. If there's any confusion about my side of the conversation, you can always head over to diabetes connections.com and click on the episode homepage to read it as well. Also, Cami is a Gvoke ambassador and this panel was sponsored by Xeris pharmaceuticals, the company that makes Gvoke you know I like my full disclosures around here. But they made this really easy. This is a genuine Parent to Parent conversation. And it's mostly about independence. You know how you get from a kid who's totally dependent on you to a young adult that you you can send off on their own. And one more thing about mom's night out the early bird special for our next event in Charlotte has ended but I'm gonna give you a promo code right here just use m n o mom's night out m n o 30 to save $30 off Charlotte registration. Alright, that is a long enough introduction. The panel is up next and since I just told you about CAMI I took out the introduction that I gave at the event and the big lead up so we're going to just jump directly in right after this important message. Gvokeis a prescription injection for the treatment of very low blood sugar in adults and kids with diabetes ages two and above. Do not use if you have a specific type of adrenal or pancreatic tumor starvation, chronic low blood sugar or allergy to Gvoke High Blood Pressure hypoglycemia and serious skin rash can occur. Call your doctor or get medical help right away. If you have a serious allergic reaction, including rash, difficulty breathing or low blood pressure visit Gvokeglucagon.com/risk. For more information. I think everybody has heard my family's diagnosis story. My son was going to the strip before he turned to one can tell us a little bit about Macy's diagnosis.   Cami  4:01 Yeah, so Macy was diagnosed in second grade. It was the tail end of her second grade year. I'm sure like many of you, I was completely ignorant about type 1 diabetes. I knew there was a type one I knew there was type two, I really didn't know the difference. I knew one kind of struck children, but I was completely ignorant. So it was like the last week of her second grade year at school and we had just moved back to California from Arizona actually. So we were kind of transitioning and all in all areas of life. And she had three bedwetting accidents in a matter of three weeks. First time she was at my mom's house, like having a little sleepover with me. And my mom called me the next morning and I called and checked in. Hey, how was everything? You guys have fun last night? She said yeah. She said we're just we're cleaning up to today. Macy had a little accident and I was like, well that's really weird. She hasn't done that in years. But that's so weird because it's not totally outside of the norm for a seven year old little girl you know it could happen so that was weird, but a week later happened again and I was like, Okay, are we drinking too much water before we go to bed? What's happening? Let's let's really so I started to pay more attention happened one more time a week later on, I was like, something's wrong. The red flags, you know, we're going off. And so it was a party it was because it was the last week of school. It was a party at school. And I woke her up and saw that she had had an accident and it kind of laid some towels down and changed your sheets. And I said, Oh, honey, I said, You had another accident. I said, I think we probably need to get in and see a doctor now. I said, Do you feel okay, you know, in my mind, I was hoping like bladder infection or something like that. But somewhere in the depths of my mother's instinct, diabetes flashed across my brain. And i i To this day, I don't know why. So I was sort of praying that it wasn't gonna be that, but I didn't really even know why I was thinking that it was all very blurry and confusing. But she said she felt fine. She wanted to go to school. So I said, okay, and I made an appointment with her pediatrician that afternoon. So I picked all three of my kids up from school that afternoon, and the four of us had at the end of the pediatrics office, and she checked it out and you know, took her vitals and sort of a physical exam. And she said, I think she'll show your daughter fine. She said, I think she's growing. It's hot outside, you know, but she's fine. And I said, Okay, I said, we'll upgrade nose and I said, Can you just indulge me? And could you check for diabetes. And I swear to you, I still don't know why I felt so convicted to request that. But I did. And she did sort of begrudgingly. And our blood sugar came back at 323. I'll never forget time kind of stopped in that moment. Doctor came back after the nurse came in and prick Macy's finger, you know, she left when three, the four of us were playing I Spy in the room. And like 1015 minutes later, so kind of like now that I look back and inordinately long time, the doctor kind of knocked on the door and up and said, Hey, Mom, can you come out in the hallway for a second? So I walked out. And she had the landline kind of cradled her shoulder and she she was clearly on hold when she said I am so sorry, I don't really know how to tell you this. But you're right, your your daughter has diabetes, and you're going to be heading to the hospital for a couple days. And you know, here's my office, if you want to make arrangements for your other kids, and just the world just kind of stops for a second. And in that moment, I didn't even know what I didn't know. I mean, I'm sure many of you can share that sentiment. It's just confusing. You don't even really know what you're about to deal with. But that was how she was diagnosed. And then off we went to children's Fortunately, she was, you know, we avoided DKA, which I'm so grateful for, like I said her blood sugar was 323. So they actually sent us home and called us when a bed was ready for her. So we were able to go home and pack a bag and kind of try to be positive and find some sanity for us. But also,   Stacey Simms  7:34 we were so lucky, our pediatrician, I called them similar symptoms. And she said, You have never seen diabetes, can anybody under the age of two to provide your program and so we can move on out. And we had such a incredible start to the families today because of that very smart pediatrician didn't let it get to be a routine thing. Can you talk a little bit of you mentioned your other children. This could be a whole separate discussion unto itself. But to talk about the impact to your to your family,   Cami  8:03 if you can believe this, at the time she was diagnosed, we were literally living through a kitchen remodel, my whole dining room was set up I had like a hot plate and we had moved our refrigerator was like an all the way by the front door. Our house was an absolute disaster. And of course, we needed to figure out our new sort of diet plan as well after all this. So kitchen remodel and type 1 diabetes diagnosis were not ideal at the same time. So my husband Tori and I were in the hospital for two nights. And fortunately, we have a big family here. And so we had my sisters in law and my brothers and I mean, we had all kinds of family that came and stayed with my kids. But those first nine to 12 months were really particularly rough on Macy's, little sister Emma, they're they're really close in age, but 14 months apart. I think it's so confusing. She was six at the time. And I think she was terrified. And so much attention goes to managing it's in those early weeks, months, gosh, even the first year who you're still trying to figure out what your cadence for management is, you know, how often are you going to prick your finger and where and when and how do you leave the house and make sure you have everything that you need. I mean, there's so much it's like everything else stops and all you can do is focus on how to make sure this child of yours stay safe. And so I think there there definitely was an impact on my two younger children because all the focus was on me so we worked really hard on my husband and I like taking turns to like take the other two and do kind of go do special things and get them out of the house. But that was tricky for a while. That was definitely tricky, but we encouraged my other two kids to like prick their fingers and hey, let's all check our blood sugar. So we did a lot of that in the first couple months, which was kind of fun. My Anna Macy sister was not not a fan of the prep but my son was like all about it. He was doing it to my sister so that was super cute.   Stacey Simms  9:53 It is hard it still works to this day. I don't want to seem genuine so like self promotion machine like I did talk to my daughter went off tests. It is one of my favorite episodes. It was just last year. It's part of the sequence and it's okay to acknowledge that what helped me was just really honest. Aisha Nina, she's 22 She is really got an interesting perspective. It's been a while to see she was fine with me was diagnosed and she's very honest. And she still has some hard feelings about it. But she's an adult to, to acknowledge why it was the way it was. And she's also it was a lot of fun to talk about that damn Calgary, Kimball. Because my son was diagnosed who for the first time all that disrupted Alright, so I'm gonna ask him, I'm gonna put my own two cents in real quick. So we're gonna talk about that what was going through your head when Macy was diagnosed? Right and talking about your concerns and views for the future? Here's how. I don't want to say dumb. Here's what I didn't know about diabetes. So my little 23 months old. My first question for the endocrinologist was, don't I have to be shuffling his feet and put his toenails differently? I was like   something is like, okay, no, it's got to be like that. I mean, we're talking about bigger fears. But you know, that's where I started out.   Cami  11:27 Yeah, I'm not too far off. My first question was, was she going to have to like wear on her body because I didn't want her tiny little frail body like Mark with devices. I was like, am I Heartland my, my mind went immediately, like pacemaker I'm like, can we get this stuff inside, so we don't have to, like be visible about the so my first little vanity, which is a concern, you know, I didn't want her to have to wear stuff. And they were like, now there's, there's no pacemaker type machine. That's gonna. I mean, it's amazing how quickly I got past that. I mean, we were we had we used to call it a power packs. And so you know, the more visible we could be the better. So we got past that. And thankfully, I think we might even touch on this a little later. But she's super open about her devices. And when people ask her and said that, so that was great. But yeah, my initial thought was, oh, my God, oh, my gosh, and and it really wasn't until I got home, Stacy that I realized the 24/7 hour nature just and actually, I remember, I think it was day two, and we were on lunch of day two. So we had checked in like late afternoon on I think, a Thursday. And so we had dinner at the hospital. And then we had breakfast at the hospital. And so we were working on lunch at the hospitals for our third meal. And the nurse comes in and says, okay, so it's time to, you know, let's do our carb counts and let dial up our insulin, we know what our ratio is. And we were like, Yeah, we got this and I looked at when I went, hey, just to like, be clear, I go, we're not this isn't like, Bro. This is like, like, while we're in LA, oh, we're gonna, this is gonna level out. We're not gonna have to do this all the time. Right? And she was like, yeah, no, this is basically, this is how we have to do meals. Wow. So that was a moment to   Stacey Simms  13:05 Yeah, we're here in order to talk about dealing with loans preparing for loans. Do you remember when you realize, because when you and I were talking, I'm gonna ask you to some of these things I have the answer to so Don't be coy. I didn't think about this for a while but used to think about this in the hospital already. When they started applying with us. Right. It   Cami  13:24 was discharged day. And it was our last meeting with the diabetes educators who were fabulous. By the way. They were wonderful contents. Yeah, it was our last day. And so we like our final meeting. And you know, Macy stayed in a row and just touring and I went into the diabetes education room. And they kind of did like an overview. And then they said, Okay, and there's, you know, there's one more thing that we need to make sure we go over with you. And that's, you know, what we call severe lows, and they pulled out the red glucagon emergency kit. And they said, You know, sometimes you can have too much insulin or too much activity. And, and it doesn't happen very often. But, you know, sometimes it can happen, and you need to be prepared to use this kit. And I was like, what? Can you pause for a moment? And let's just rewind a minute. What do you mean, and that was a massive moment in time where I realized, so this medicine that you're telling us, we have to give her, and we have to decide how much to give her to keep her alive, if we give too much, could also be fatal. And, boy, that was a poignant moment. And I'm sure one we could all share and pause on because that is the reality. But yes, that was when we left the hospital and I was absolutely terrified, terrified about severe lows.   Stacey Simms  14:42 I want to just get to the other question before the one in terms of like, do you have those fears, but you you still want him to lose their life? You still want them to be independent? I mean, your seven year old so you're going to immediately send her off to be super independent. But how did you Once the engine, you know, I hesitate to see how did you get the cast that but how did you move forward with that?   Cami  15:05 It was difficult, um, you know, that was sort of the age, you know. So we're now heading into third grade and I remember I had this like special lunchbox for her that whenever she ever we would leave the house, we go anywhere and had all of our staff had had her with an emergency kit and had her sugar it had her testing all the stuff. We all we all have that. And I remember there were a couple of times where Macy got invited to have playdates at some friends house. And again, we kind of knew what the school kind of knew newly back in California, so I didn't know everyone yet. And she had a couple playdates. And so I sent mom would text me and say, Hey, Mom, you know, so and so wants to know if Macy can come over after school and play. And so I would respond and say, yes, she would love to however, I just need to make sure you understand BCS type 1 diabetes, and this can mean this and you know, she's, she's on it, but I really need you to just have your phone with you all the time. And I will tell you, it was challenging because we didn't get a lot of repeat invites. And then and then I would go over how to use that glucagon emergency kit, because I was scared. I mean, what if, what if they're out jumping on a trampoline? And God forbid, that's her first low. I mean, so I felt like, I had to do that. But it was really tough because I didn't want to and I think her social life. So you know, then I I tried to include an invite over to our house. So I did you know, slumber parties. That was a whole nother chapter to get through. But we did them in our house. You know, we didn't have in our house for a long time. But as long as I had a willing person on the other end, I allowed me to go do those things. As long as I had a mom or a trusted, you know, dad or trusted caregiver. On the other end, I really tried to give her that opportunity to go and be away from me. Like frankly,   Stacey Simms  16:38 it was interesting. He was a two year old, my son. We taught him some things. And I know we're gonna talk about that a little bit later. But did you start teaching Macy to do her own care with like with supervision, pretty much   Cami  16:51 immediately, immediately. I have videos of her coming home, like five days after the hospital and going okay, here's Macy, she's gonna give herself her insulin injection, and I'm videoing her and she's smiling on the couch. And so immediately, I mean, we really, and I don't know why I certainly could not have possibly had the foresight to know that that was important at the moment. I don't know why we did that. But I'm glad we did. I mean, Stacy for you. I mean, he was so young. How, at what age? Did you start giving him independence? Or or? Yes.   Stacey Simms  17:25 Everybody curates differently.   Unknown Speaker  17:27 I noticed, you know, I   Stacey Simms  17:28 jokingly call myself the world's worst diabetes mom, but slight. And I, we always wanted to raise our kids to leave home. And if it's about them, and you know, everybody, everybody's different. But when he when we both worked full time, so my kids were both in daycare, and we're, we're the luckiest people, I think when it comes to the type one things that happen. And so when I brought him back to daycare, the manager was like, oh, yeah, I used to be a minute, I can get injections. And I was like, Can you sleep here because I don't want to give you the money. And then go, actually, the whole team here started learning how to do it. And once he got an Insulet, on six months later, everybody was like, Yeah, I'll check that out, you know, and two of the ladies there became nursing students, not because of him, but like he was just cool. He didn't have a desk calm because this was 2006. He didn't get a desk until he was nine. And so we decided that when he was going into kindergarten, which honestly was one of the most terrifying things for me, like that was a hard, hard transition. Because we've had it so good at daycare, we told preschoolers, as we called that, like, hey, we want Benny to know how to check his blood glucose and muses, champions to kindergarten. And so we're going to teach him that at home. And can you help us out a daycare? And if your kids have ever been in daycare, like that's where they are independent, they come home, they would do anything for being going to calculus and the dude helping us a four steps. So let's do one. He talked to him, like, boys took their own leadership when kindergarten things like demonstrated I was able to do it so that once you could do that, and he always knew, officially, I have to show my there was always a responsible adult, he wasn't just doing that. So that helped us because in our neighborhood, first grade is when people start going playdates pretty much by themselves. And so we would line up, no Dexcom. But people have to call me and be like, Here's what a meeting person and I'm going to be helping from the dose and I want everybody in my neighborhood a person, which is really fun. And that's what I believe is really good friends with London because we get the case. Every evening on the counter for the kids, I don't know it's like after school.   I could go on and my answer to that question is very gradually, every year he did something else that is more leading more and more towards independence. Was the blood sugar perfect? Absolutely not. But that's the trade off I think sometimes. Alright, so we come back to our stuff we're talking about. Do you have any lessons you learned that can help other moms with, you know, similar aged kids just starting out?   Cami  20:14 I think probably, and again, not not because I did this, because I knew what I was doing. But as it turns out, we gave me see the confidence or Macey develop the confidence to be really open about her diabetes. Um, there's actually an influencer, who she's now a PA, some of you may follow her. But she's, she's a PA, she has type 1 diabetes, and she just had chant twins a couple years ago. But anyway, she did this whole post online, maybe three years ago, something like that, about the importance of teaching your kids to be confident about this, and to talk about it enough to be embarrassed about it. Don't go into the corner and trick your finger. Don't try to hide all your stuff. Because what she found she was talking about her own experience when she was younger, she said, there was so much curiosity among kids about what you know what, what is going on? What are you doing over there? And why are you freaking out? You know what's happening? And she said, When I tried to hide it, that's when people really got curious. And it became kind of this big thing. And she said, as soon as I was like, Oh, I'm pricking my finger, because I have type 1 diabetes, and I just need to know my blood sugar. They were like, oh, okay, no big deal. And when she said that, it resonated with me, because I feel like we did that, again, by the grace of God, not because we knew what we were doing. But, you know, we really encouraged me see, to talk about it. And to educate people, I said, you know, you have this for better or for worse. And it's kind of your responsibility to talk about it and to educate and to kind of be an ambassador for this. And if you see someone else who has come on, welcome and introduce yourself and say, Hey, like, like your next column. And so to be open about it, and to embrace it, I really think it's helped or to just be confident and to accept it. And I, you know, it's easy for me to say, because my daughter was seven at the time, I think if you have a diagnosis, when you're you know, on stage, it may be for you to a little bit like that, if you have a diagnosis with a 16 year old boy, man, I think that would be really, really challenging, because you just might not have that same response from him or, you know, 15 year old girl. So I think that's difficult, but to the extent possible, I really think that's invaluable. Probably one of the most valuable components of Macy's type 1 diabetes life is that she's not embarrassed about it. It is what it is that she wished she didn't have it. Of course she did. But it is what it is. I would say that's probably my number one piece of advice,   Stacey Simms  22:21 I think to you, you kind of as I said, we were very lucky. Betty is extremely outgoing, don't know where to get stuff from. And she nearly it was never shy about diabetes, daughters Natori introverted. And I would worry, I think it would be different, but I worried about her in middle school in high school, it would have been a different experience. I think, overall, they're just different kids. Yeah,   Cami  22:43 I mean, I think as they get older, you know, Macy's in eighth grade, right for 14, and college scares the heck out of me. I mean, when she goes spent the night at a friend's house, where I know the mom very, very well. And five minutes away from me, that's one thing, but I'm terrified of college, and her leaving the house, we're doing everything we can to prepare her. But I'd love to hear a little from you. Well,   Stacey Simms  23:08 you know, I'm gonna start by my mother gave me advice a long time ago, especially when he was really little, which is don't borrow trouble. Like there's enough to worry we have in front of us. So when he was two, she was like, don't think about college yet, but you'll get there. So I won't say don't think about just obviously, your top two. But that kind of helped prove a little bit. But I will say and we touched on this a little bit. The gradual independence that we gave Benny really helped us. I mean, it helped him, but it helped us. So our diabetes educator who is just an amazing woman recently retired, she has two adult sons with type one, one of whom was in New chronologist now, and she told me that the first time we met her, I said, like, oh, you know, do you have any advice? So that what can I basically I was like, How can I not mess this up and make him a good person and a healthy adult. She's like, why we can't tell you how, but I can tell you what not to do. She said, I just taught an 18 year old who's had this for a long time how to get insulin shot, because he had never done it. And he's going off to college. And she's like, don't do that. Don't do that. And you know, we all know that families don't want to pass judgment. I don't know what's going on. But I just was like, Okay, we've got a long time to get into the printer. So what we did was at the beginning of every school year, I would say, Hey, how you want to manage diabetes this year? What's your goal? And so I didn't give him that choice in kindergarten because I was ticked like I said, I was terrified. But in first grade, he said he wanted to eat lunch by lunch at the cafeteria once a week, at least. You know, by fifth grade. He was like, I don't want anyone ever checked in with the nurse because we live in North Carolina where they don't have full time school nurses. So we had a nurse at the office maybe two days a week. We had amazing staff who were like very caring individuals but didn't really know who diabetes. So that's another reason why I taught him to check his blood glucose. Because Jeff's calm which was not just been scheduled this time. So don't shut down we got we got Dexcom we had no Sherawat follow. So I mean we do is at the time he was supposed to pick us up and even just look at the steps. So he's your team didn't really change very much. But fifth grade was I don't want anybody looking over my shoulder anymore. I'm just going to Joe's gonna be compromised. Because I don't know about you guys but Middle School fifth, sixth, seventh eighth grade Marines like Whovians. So I do anything that I need a thumbs up to your teacher, that you gave yourself insulin for lunch. And he was like, Cool. Mr. Parker said, we're good to go. Then Middle School, he's like, I'm not checking in with anybody. I'm on my own. But I want you to text me every day before lunch. You're young, you're bolus. Oh, how wonderful. You would think how wonderful and you want to do bolus every day of that we just want to run with it. And we also talk, a little wonder, but we also have the same conversation starting in middle school about how are we going to manage Dexcom share, because I have a very funny Facebook post that I pulled out for the second book. And it's one of the first to share, he went on a field trip. And I was like, how do people do this? This is the worst thing that's ever happened to me. I have to look at these numbers all the time. Oh my god, this is overflowing. I need this. So I sat him down and I'm like, but if you read above this number for this long, I will text you if you're below this evergreens, Islam, I will text you and we went every year we changed that. By the time he was a junior in high school. I turned off the high alarm senior here, which was our independence here. I was like, okay, but the junior senior high school, I am not going to help you. And once you really, I turned off my love. The real turning point for us was that when he was 16, he went to Israel for a month with a kid, not at the biggest scale just because of regular sleepaway camp. And when he didn't Well, and came home, I said, What am I supposed to do now? Like you're done? I'm done. You're cooked. When you say now your customer service. And we went to camp this summer where he was a lifeguard. And he said, we're done. Like off with follow. So I don't follow. Kids, we're doing this before sharing follow up. You're like, right,   Cami  27:12 is to allow anyone to follow him.   Stacey Simms  27:15 Know that he's following him right now. But I know in the heads of the question, I'll ask him. In the past, he's had friends follow him, friends with him without diabetes. And that's fine. He's young. He has a roommate. He's not alone. I'm sure. My concern right now is more about highs than lows, because he's just kind of doing the minimum. I do like index complexity. But you can see the back end look. I'm gonna talk to him about it, because I figured he's a busy freshman figuring it out. Yeah. So again, we all hear differently. And because I feel him in one cameo, and I'll wrap it up in a second. But because we took all those steps to independence, already, we had really bad diabetes experiences. He's been low on sleepovers. He's been high on sleepovers, he has had his infusion sets come out. He's walking on insulin at restaurants. He walked across my neighbor's lawn to our lawn that intersect without telling anybody at four o'clock in the morning because he was low and didn't like the juice selection. Do you realize   Cami  28:19 that follow over   Stacey Simms  28:21 when they're 62. Right? So we've got a lot of time to make a lot of mistakes and realize like he's a tough cookie. So it's really yeah, we've done it all. Okay, so um, but Matt, what's your question for me? I want to ask you to county before we move on, you mentioned the Congress and things and it's tough on their stuff. And I mean, everything stuff. My daughter's maybe like, can you complain to me, too? Am I the guide a little easier, she's older and she doing 13 to 14 is like when they're really pushing you to make them more independent here to them more.   Cami  28:56 You guys. Yes. So for her birthday, last year, her 13th birthday, she had all these friends that did some these like elaborate parties and all these things she could mom, all I want is I want to go to the mall with my friends. I don't want you hiding in a coffee shop down the street. Property, I want you to drop me and my friends off and leave go back home. All you when we're ready to be picked up. So I dropped her off. And that was what she wanted for her birthday. They went out to dinner. And you know, they I think they were there maybe four hours. But she literally asked for independence for her birthday. You know, we also take advantage of this technology. So she she wears an Apple Watch. So even at school like you know, if we see we're on a chain actually, it's my husband and I and Macy and then they have an iPad in the school office, that some chain so we're always watching her numbers. And if she goes really high, you know, we kind of have to kind of have thresholds like if she's too high for too long, then we're like Amy see, are you having insulin? If she goes low, he may see or you know, are you having sugar so we've kind of got this cadence of communication. And I think because we've so to hold her accountable, it's been easier to allow her to be more independent. Because she and we'll talk about this, I think in a few minutes, Didi like, you know with low she communicates mom and having sugar mom I know I'm high I'm gonna give myself three units. So that's great you know she she communicates but back to your point a few minutes ago there Her brain is also gone because she's 13 and this junior high where it's just like, sometimes we'll be on dessert already through a meal and I'm like, oh Macy bullet strike. She's like, Oh, I forgot. I'm like, provide like we've been doing this for seven years every time you put a morsel of food in your mouth?   Stacey Simms  30:34 Yeah, that's a change. Yeah. I do want to talk about, we're gonna change gears a little bit and talk about severe blows. I noticed people very nervous. I do want to say this is meant to be educational and not scary. But CAMI is going to share some stories. But I do need to say that definition realize that severe lows occur when blood sugar gets too low for your body to function optimally, and requires immediate health to recover. It is really important to be prepared for the unpredictable. And I joke around a lot. But we do take this very seriously in the afternoon students of preparation when I think of the Ford Academy, because you had unfortunately not experienced with us.   Cami  31:16 Yeah, so Macy's had three severe love, none of which happened in the first like four years of her diabetes diagnosis, which was, you know, wonderful, because we never had to use the red mix kit. I don't know if I even would have been able to do that in a moment of panic. And as I walked through the story, I think this will make more sense. But initially, when we were informed about severe lows, what they could look like what they were, I was so terrified, it was like this taboo that I almost didn't even want to think about or talk about, I knew it was there. And I acknowledged it but I just wanted to do everything I possibly could to never ever, ever have to even get into that realm of a severe low and say. And things changed for us a little bit, to be honest, when I learned about Gvoke and how it could be used. So let me walk through, you know, our severe lows and kind of how those played out. So the first one was a few years ago, and my husband was traveling, he was out of town. And so it's just me in the kids home and I tried to eat pretty low carb, but for whatever reason, this pasta night, so I made some pasta. And Keith and I were eating and Macy bolused for her entire plate of pasta, and then eat about half. And then when I was jumping, kind of like a trampoline this like Airtrack thing we have in our backyard at the time, my son was really into like learning how to do flips. So he was like, Macy, come on, let's go out. Let's go out jump on the Airtrack. And so they were out and my daughter and I were kind of inside. I think we were watching a movie or something. So all was quiet, everything's fine. Kids were having fun. It was just a regular night. And then I get the alert on the Dexcom. And it's 50 to two arrows down. And right at that moment we see blast through the front door. She's like Mom, I feel really low. So I'm like okay, so I get her some apple juice. I think we actually use the little gunk, she doesn't like apple juice. So we give her some gummies waited a few minutes. And then then the reading said low we prepped and it was extremely, she was really low. And I said Macy. You can keep pounding sugar I said or we can pull out your G book right now. And she was like, let's just do the G book.   Stacey Simms  33:08 Hey, this is Stacy jumping in. Just to give a little bit of an explanation. Here. Hypoglycemia is defined by level one glucose lower than 70 milligrams per deciliter, and greater than or equal to 54 milligrams per deciliter level to glucose lower than 54 milligrams per deciliter. And level three is a severe event characterized by altered mental and or physical status requiring assistance. This level of hypoglycemia is life threatening and requires emergency treatment, typically, with glucagon. Now, back to kami. And   Cami  33:45 so we were in that moment, I gave her a choice because she, in the absence of intervention, she was going to pass out and she was headed down. And so we injected G voc. And within a very few short moments, she started feeling well and recovered. I think she got up to about 180 and then ultimately leveled out. That's it. That was experience. Number one. Tell us about Jimi Hendrix. Number two was a little bit kind of the same, but kind of different. Again, my husband was it was during a period of time where he was working on something and so he was traveling quite a bit. So it was after dinner, I had to open like 839 o'clock at night. We were actually all up in my room. And my when my husband travels or just forgotten early on, all my kids get to have a slumber party in my room. So Macy and I were reading I think I had one on like a blow up mattress on the floor. And we were watching a movie and just kind of his quiet moment. And the Dexcom alarm goes off. And it's super low reading. And so it was we treated it the same way where we tend to treat with sugar first. And we had no we had no idea. She was I think she was 49 Two arrows down and she had like three and a half units of insulin on board. To this day, we still don't even really know what happened. And so she had sugar continued to drop, we pricked her finger, and she actually that time said, Mom, I want to use Gvoke and so We have several of them. And so we opened it, she actually injected it herself into her the first time I did it in her arm. Second time, she gave it to herself right in her thigh. And same recovery scenario. It was amazing. It worked really quickly. And I knew that it was going to give her what she needed, so that we avoided that biggest fear.   Stacey Simms  35:19 Stacy here again, just jumping back into give this disclaimer, it's really important to understand that Individual results may vary. And you've always got to consult your healthcare provider.   Cami  35:28 Right? I mean, think of severe hypoglycemia, you think of someone on the floor on that worst case scenario? I mean, really, that's what you're thinking, think of incapacitation? And I mean, is my child going to lose his or her life, I mean, that that's really what we've kind of been trained to think about severe low, and there was sort of this paradigm shift for me in my mind about using glucagon, not to say that you use glucagon every time you have a low, not at all, you know, always, of course, treat with sugar. But there are scenarios given the way technology has progressed, we know when someone is headed for disaster, we can prick a finger, we can look on it next time, we can look at their symptoms. And we know that in the absence of intervention, something bad's gonna happen. And with G voc, you can use that to ward off that unimaginable moment of someone passing out. Actually, that's a perfect time to bring up the last time she's just a little over a year ago. She was at a slumber party. That was a birthday party 13th birthday party. I know the mom quite well. She's one of those very supportive moms that you just want to hug and say thank you for understanding and for taking this on and sleeping with one eye open when my daughter spent the night at your house, they had gone out to dinner, they went to PF Changs. And so she had shared a bunch of food with our friends. And they've gone back to the house and they were all getting ready to go swimming. And Macy got a LOW Alert ello w. And I was like, oh, okay, and so we stayed on the phone. And she said, Yep, she just administered it, and she feels fine. And, you know, call you back in a few minutes. She knew she needed it, she was afraid she was gonna pass out. And she administered her Gvoke, her blood sugar popped up within a few short moments. And she never had to experience the full blown incapacitation, that gives me such comfort, knowing that she knows how and when to use that. Because you don't know when it could happen. as vigilant as we all want to be they happen. And so knowing that she has the confidence to pull that out and know when she needs to use it is a massive source of comfort for me. And we're   Stacey Simms  37:20 going to start wrapping up in just a couple of minutes. And I have another quick question for you can we but I want to share, we need to set the amount of comfort, we'd have not had to administer anything that wouldn't have gone. I would have liked it in a few places. We've been to some external markers, that red box here. But one of my proudest parenting moments, wasn't even there for freshman year of high school being wrestled in high school for a couple of years. And we didn't do this in high school, but the sports teams to travel now love them. And they fundraise and they say right hotels and I, I had an instance where I was, you know, still following me as a freshman, and I couldn't reach him. So I called the teen mom. And she was like, Oh, he's actually my son tonight. Like, I'll ping them. And of course, he just wasn't looking at his phone. And he was like, I was laying on me. That's kind of mine. Fine. But he came home though. I said, What would you have done? Like, let's talk this through more, because now I am thinking about more. You know, how do you manage that he's like, Oh, my gosh, luck is anytime I'm with new people overnight between summer camp and wrestling and sleepovers. Anytime when we meet people, I take out the G book United type 1 diabetes I'm going to be and this is the other thing I'm not drinking, if I'm passed out or I'm slurring my orders or anything like that, I'm actually Lucky's like, call the coach then use this and he shows them how to use it as well. Like I really don't want another 15 years of administering. Yeah. But at the same time, I was really proud. And then I said, Well, do you ever like Does anybody ever gets to change rooms? Because of the hammer because of the BB? And he's like, Oh, my God, Mom, I already see what works, you know. But I was really so my one of my last questions who can be here as I don't have a child who has used this? You would like you said, you were there the first time there was another adult there the second time she used it, but have you been talked about? Like, how is it helping? The chief? She fearful? What is she doing? She think about it? You   Cami  39:11 know, I've asked her? And she said she just feel safer? Because she knows that there. She's not scared of it. And to me that's everything because there's a lot of fear involved in this disease, fear of your client, my blood sugar is too high. What's that going to cause in the in the future? I mean, we're we're constantly you know, trying to mimic them an organ, a human organs. You know, there there's a lot involved in that. So just knowing that that component, that fear factor part of it, she's got a plan. She believes she's covered. If she gets to that point, and we do everything possible to avoid it, of course, like all of us do. But if God forbid it happened again, she'll know what to do. And that's amazing that Benny educate other people. I think that that's huge because sort of like wearing your seatbelt right? We we don't put our seatbelts on every day when we get in the car because we think we have a high probability of getting a new car accident but what if we put our seatbelts on? It's the same kind of concept   Stacey Simms  40:09 you're listening to Diabetes Connections with Stacey Simms. Big thanks again to CAMI for zooming on in again, she broke her arm just before the event. And I give her so much credit. I had a crowd to talk to. But she was basically just looking at herself. You know how Zoom is. So I really appreciate that. Kami. Thank you so much. We did take some questions after that last comment of camis. I know it ended a little bit abruptly, but the audio really fell off. After that. There's only so much that John can do with his editing magic. If you liked what you heard, please share the episode. And please join us for mom's Night Out Charlotte in February. And for our other three stops in 2024. I am scheduled to share those locations this week. As you're listening I may have already done it. So please be sure that you're following me on social media. You can always reach out though Stacy at diabetes dash connections.com I will say there was one city that we heard the most comments from and that is on our list. So definitely let me know if your city or a place you cannot get to is on the list. Definitely ping me for 2025 We are listening to you. And we are I mean I'm going forward with this full steam ahead in probably four events a year until I don't know until people stop coming. Thanks again to jump you Candace, my editor and a big thanks again to Xeris for all of their support. I'm gonna read that important safety information one more time. Gvoke is a prescription injection for the treatment of very low blood sugar in adults and kids with diabetes age two and above. Do not use if you have a specific type of adrenal or pancreatic tumor starvation chronic low blood sugar or allergy to Gvoke High Blood Pressure hyperglycemia and serious skin rash can occur while your doctor or get medical help right away. If you have a serious allergic reaction including rash difficulty breathing or low blood pressure, visit Gvoke glucagon.com/risk For more information, I'm gonna link all of that up and the link in the show notes. And Stacey Simms. Thanks so much for joining me. I'll see you back here soon. Until then be kind to yourself.   Benny  42:14 Diabetes Connections is a production of Stacey Simms media. All rights reserved. All wrongs avenged.

It's In the News, a look at the top stories and headlines from the diabetes community happening now. Top stories this week: an existing drug for arthritis is being studied for treatment of T1D, poison control centers report a big increase in calls about misdosing of Ozmepic and semaglutides, Tandem releases it's Tandem Source software, we've got an update on a possible non invasive glucose monitoring system, ADA releases it's standards of care and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Take Control with Afrezza  Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX Our top story this week… XX A world-first clinical trial has found a common drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis can suppress the progression of type 1 diabetes in recently diagnosed patients. Australian reserachers say they've discovered that baricitinib *bare-uh-sit-en-ub* can preserve the body's own insulin production. The scientists recruited 91 people, aged between 10 and 30 years old, to take part in the double-blind randomised trial. All patients had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes within the last 100 days and continued with their prescribed insulin therapy throughout the study. The results showed those in the baricitinib group were able safely and effectively to preserve their body's own insulin production and suppress the progression of type 1 diabetes. "Our trial showed that, if started early enough after diagnosis, and while the participants remained on the medication, their production of insulin was maintained. "People with type 1 diabetes in the trial who were given the drug required significantly less insulin for treatment." Dr Faye Riley, research communications manager at Diabetes UK, said of the latest trial: "These findings show by tackling the root of type 1 diabetes - an immune system attack - an existing drug can help to shield the pancreas, in people recently diagnosed with type 1, so they can continue making more insulin for longer. "This can give people with type 1 diabetes much steadier blood sugar levels and help to protect against serious diabetes complications down the line. "Immunotherapies are edging us towards a new era in type 1 diabetes treatment, and could help us overcome a major hurdle en route to finding a cure for the condition. "This trial takes us another step closer." The study was funded by JDRF, a non-profit organization which focuses on type 1 diabetes research. The research has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. https://news.sky.com/story/world-first-trial-finds-arthritis-drug-may-help-treat-type-1-diabetes-13024706 XX Earlier this month, Dexcom's G7 became compatible with two pump systems: Beta Bionic's ilet pump and Tandem Diabetes tslim X2. Current customers should have received instructions on how to download the updated software – new pumps will be shipped with G7 software already loaded. Tandem has also announced their new Tandem Source platform – full launch in the US with international rollout slated for next year. Anyone in the U.S. who uses a Tandem pump—as well as their respective healthcare providers—will now have access to the Source platform. On the patient side, insulin dosage data will automatically transfer from the pump to the platform, by way of the t:connect mobile app, where it'll be compiled into three reports for your doctor. Patients will also be able to use the platform to access new software updates for their pumps and to reorder supplies as needed. Long term, the company hopes to use the data from users – which would be blinded- to update automated insulin dosing algorithms. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/tandem-begins-full-us-rollout-source-diabetes-management-platform XX New look at benefits from a plant based diet – this research says it can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 24%. It's not just about weight loss. They reviewed data on more than 113,000 participants in a large-scale British observational study, gathered over 12 years. They found that normal values for cholesterol, blood sugar, inflammation, and insulin are associated with a low risk of diabetes. They also found that good liver and kidney function is important in diabetes prevention. A plant based diet helped with all of those factors. The researchers do point out that there is such a thing as an unhealthy plant-based diet. Those that are still high in sweets, refined grains and sugary drinks are associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, researchers found. https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-12-13/plant-based-diets-cut-diabetes-risk-by-24 XX Reports of more patients with type 2 diabetes having trouble getting coverage for medication like Ozempic and Mounjaro – because health insurance companies are putting new restrictions in place. Most U.S. health plans cover GLP-1s for type 2 diabetes but many providers will prescribe it off label for weight loss. There is another medication – Wegovy – approved for weight loss, it's the same drug as Ozempic just packaged in a difference dose and name. The average number of weekly Ozempic prescriptions rose 33% between the first and third quarters of this year, but has since dropped more than 6% to about 431,000, according to Iqvia Institute for Data Science. Doctors and patients are bracing for changes in January, when individual health plans often set new coverage terms. "It may be that January 1, all of a sudden something that was covered is no longer," said Dr. Robert Gabbay, chief science officer at the American Diabetes Association. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-diabetes-patients-face-delays-insurers-tighten-ozempic-coverage-2023-12-12/ XX Poison control centers across the US say they are seeing a steep increase in calls related to semaglutide, with some people reporting symptoms related to accidental overdoses. From January through November, the America's Poison Centers reports nearly 3,000 calls involving semaglutide, an increase of more than 15-fold since 2019. In 94% of calls, this medication was the only substance reported. The compounded versions of semaglutide are often different from the patented drug. Many contain semaglutide salts called semaglutide sodium and semaglutide acetate. The FDA says the salt forms of the drug have not been tested and approved to be safe and effective the way the patented form of the medication has, and thus they don't qualify for the compounding exemption in the law for drugs in shortage. In other cases, the compounded versions are sold in unapproved dosages. But these compounded versions are popular because they may cost less out-of-pocket, especially if the treatment isn't covered by insurance. The name-brand drugs are sold in pre-filled pens, which come with some safeguards. Patients dial to the correct dose and click to inject, so it's harder to make mistakes. Compounded versions, however, typically come in multidose glass vials, and patients draw their own doses into syringes. It's easy to get confused. https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/13/health/semaglutide-overdoses-wellness/index.html XX XX Type 2 diabetes patients who received endocrinology care through telehealth alone had poor glycemic outcomes compared with those who received in-person or hybrid care, which contrasts with prior research findings, according to a new study. Previous research has shown that telehealth is effective in improving glycemic control, but there has not been enough data on utilization and outcomes linked to routine telehealth care for type 2 diabetes since 2020, especially in the endocrinology setting, the researchers wrote. One reason may be that the strategies to support glycemic improvement deployed during in-person appointments, like self-management education and sharing home blood glucose data, have not been consistently translated to telehealth. “Implementation of approaches to overcome these differences, such as team-based virtual care and technological tools to automate blood glucose data sharing, are needed to ensure all patients receive high-quality diabetes care regardless of care modality,” they wrote. These study findings contrast with previous research, including a study published in early 2022 that revealed that telehealth maintained quality of care and led to better health outcomes for patients with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included 16,588 with type 2 diabetes who received care before or during the pandemic, with 7,581 having a telehealth visit with either a primary care physician or an endocrinologist. https://mhealthintelligence.com/news/telehealth-only-care-fails-to-improve-type-2-diabetes-outcomes XX Medtronic's deal to buy a South Korea based insulin patch pump maker is off. Back in May Medtrnoic announced a 738-million dollar deal to buy EOFlow, which makes EOPatch, a tubeless, wearable and fully disposable insulin delivery device. EOFlow already launched its EOPatch insulin delivery system in Korea and Europe. The company submitted the insulin delivery device for U.S. FDA clearance in January. https://www.massdevice.com/medtronic-nixes-738m-deal-for-insulin-patch-pump-maker-eoflow/ XX Commercial XX Update on non invasive continuous glucose monitoring. The most recent validation of the technology's accuracy has been released as a preprint. In an experiment, researchers fed thousands of radio frequency glucose readings into a machine learning model to translate them into blood sugar values and compared the results against those from a Dexcom G6. CGM accuracy is judged by mean absolute relative difference, or MARD. The statistic is reported as a percentage: a MARD of 10 percent, for example, means that the CGM is on average within 10 percent of the reference value. The Bio-RFID system scored a MARD of 11.27 percent. In truth, this result is difficult to interpret. Though Bio-RFID's MARD is not yet in the same neighborhood as its competitors' (the Freestyle Libre 3 and the Dexcom G7 report MARDs of 7.9 percent and 8.7 percent, respectively), the experiment wasn't a true test of the device's capabilities, because it didn't use a lab-drawn glucose measurement as its reference value. The volunteers also did not have diabetes, which meant that their blood sugar levels were likely more stable than those of most future customers. The FDA has specific accuracy standards that it expects CGM manufacturers to meet for devices intended for “nonadjunctive” use and for use in a closed-loop insulin pump system. Know Labs's product will need to meet these objective standards to be validated as a truly reliable CGM. The Path to Approval “Our expectation is that we'll be in front of the FDA as we move into the second half of 2024,” says Erickson. Much larger trials will be needed to show that the device works and meets FDA standards. Erickson says, “We expect to have an FDA-cleared device in 2025.” Though the business is still finalizing the form of the next generation, it expects that it can navigate the FDA approval process quickly. The FDA has already confirmed that RFID is quite safe and there should be little worry about side effects (though there could be a hazard of interference for patients already using electronic medical devices such as pacemakers). https://www.diabetesdaily.com/blog/this-company-is-racing-to-create-the-worlds-first-non-invasive-cgm-718069/ XX Today, the American Diabetes Association® (ADA) released the Standards of Care in Diabetes—2024 (Standards of Care), a set of comprehensive and evidence-based guidelines for managing type 1, type 2, gestational diabetes, and prediabetes based on the latest scientific research and clinical trials. It includes strategies for diagnosing and treating diabetes in both youth and adults, methods to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and its associated comorbidities like cardiovascular disease (CVD) and obesity, and therapeutic approaches aimed at minimizing complications and enhancing health outcomes. "The latest ADA guidelines present pivotal updates for health care professionals, ensuring comprehensive, evidence-based care for diabetes management. These changes reflect our ongoing commitment to optimizing patient outcomes through informed, adaptable, and patient-centered health care practices,” said Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD, the ADA's chief scientific and medical officer. “The ADA's Standards of Care ensures health care professionals, especially our primary care workforce, provide the best possible care to those living with diabetes.” Notable updates to the Standards of Care in Diabetes─2024 include: New updates in managing obesity in people with diabetes, including approaches to reduce therapeutic inertia, support more personalization, and incorporate additional obesity measurements beyond body mass index (i.e., waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and/or waist-to-height ratio). New screening recommendations for heart failure in people with diabetes. Updated recommendations for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) screening in people with diabetes. Guidance on screening and the use of teplizumab, approved to delay the onset of type 1 diabetes. More guidance on the use of new obesity medications, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists or dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonists, to reach sustained weight management goals. Updates in guidance on the diagnosis and classification of diabetes. A focus on hypoglycemia prevention and management. Emphasis on screening people with diabetes for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis at primary care and diabetes clinics. New emphasis on the evaluation and treatment of bone health and added attention to diabetes-specific risk factors for fracture. A focus on screening and management of people with diabetes and disability. Emphasis on enabling health care providers to master diabetes technology, using artificial intelligence for retinal screenings with necessary referrals, and embracing telehealth and digital tools for diabetes self-management education. New information on the possible association between COVID-19 infections and new onset of type 1 diabetes. "As the ADA's chair of professional practice committee, I'm excited to share our latest updates to advance diabetes care through new scientific insights and technological innovation, all aimed at enhancing experience for people with diabetes and health care professionals in managing this complex condition," said Nuha A. El Sayed, MD, MM Sc, the ADA's senior vice president of health care improvement. Other noteworthy changes to the 2024 Standards of Care include: Updated immunization guidance to include newly approved RSV vaccines in adults over 60 years of age with diabetes. New emphasis on cultural sensitivity in diabetes self-management education, with considerations for changing reimbursement policies. More detail and emphasis on psychosocial screening protocols to better identify diabetes distress. The importance of diabetes technology, with an emphasis on continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and automated insulin delivery (AID) systems. Continued emphasis on inclusion and person-centered care. “At the ADA, we are focused on improving the quality of care for anyone who lives with diabetes, prediabetes, or who is at risk of developing diabetes. The Standards of Care is critical to ensuring the improved treatment of diabetes, a chronic disease that requires continuous care through a well-informed and coordinated health care team. These standards equip health care professionals with the gold standard in diabetes care, ensuring the highest level of service and knowledge in the field,” said Chuck Henderson, the ADA's chief executive officer. The ADA annually updates its Standards of Care through the efforts of its Professional Practice Committee (PPC). Comprising 21 global experts from diverse professional backgrounds, the PPC includes physicians, nurse practitioners, certified diabetes care and education specialists, registered dietitians, pharmacists, and methodologists. Its members hold expertise in areas like adult and pediatric endocrinology, epidemiology, public health, cardiovascular risk management, kidney disease, microvascular complications, preconception and pregnancy care, weight management, diabetes prevention, behavioral and mental health, inpatient care, and technology in diabetes management. Additionally, the committee collaborates with 19 specialized content experts. The 2024 Standards of Care has garnered endorsements from the American College of Cardiology (Section 10), the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research (Bone section in Section 4), and the Obesity Society (Section 8). Today, the Standards of Care in Diabetes—2024 is available online and is published as a supplement to the January 2024 issue of Diabetes Care®. A shortened version of the guidelines, known as the Abridged Standards of Care, will be made available for primary care providers in the journal Clinical Diabetes®, along with a convenient Standards of Care app as well as a Standards of Care pocket chart. The online version will be annotated in real-time with necessary updates if new evidence or regulatory changes merit immediate incorporation through the “living” Standards of Care process. Other Standards of Care resources, including a webcast with continuing education (CE) credit and a full slide deck, can be found on the ADA's professional website, DiabetesPro®. https://diabetes.org/newsroom/press-releases/american-diabetes-association-releases-standards-care-diabetes-2024 XX Join us again soon!  

The World's Worst Diabetes Mom – Featuring Stacey SimmsTAKING CONTROL OF YOUR DIABETES® - THE PODCAST! ...With Expert Endocrinologists Living with T1D, Drs. Steven V. Edelman & Jeremy PettusJoin Dr. Steve Edelman in this candid episode of "Taking Control of Your Diabetes" podcast, featuring special guest Stacey Simms, author of The World's Worst Diabetes Mom. Dive into an open and honest conversation about the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned from parenting a child with Type 1 diabetes. Questions We'll Cover in This Episode: Who is Stacey Simms?  What led Stacey Sims to shift from being a broadcast journalist to becoming a vocal advocate for managing her son Benny's diabetes?  How does diabetes affect family dynamics, especially regarding sibling relationships and Benny's extroverted personality?  What lessons has Stacey Sims learned from real-life mistakes in managing her son's diabetes? What inspired Stacey to write ‘The World's Worst Diabetes Mom' and how does it aim to support other parents?  How has Stacey Sims fostered independence in Benny while managing his diabetes, especially in college preparation?  What impact does social media have on parenting a child with diabetes, and how has therapy benefitted Stacey's personal and parenting life?  What initiatives, like ‘Mom's Night Out', has Stacey developed to support mothers of diabetic children, and what advice does Dr. Edelman offer for young adults with diabetes living independently?  “Diabetes Connections” presents: Moms' Night Out: https://diabetes-connections.com/events/Follow Stacey Simms on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staceysimms/Listen to the “Diabetes Connections” Podcast: https://diabetes-connections.com/recent-episodes/Discover “Diabetes Connections” Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@diabetesconnections/featured**Tune in for 2 new episodes each month! Like what you hear and want to help us grow? Please rate and review this podcast so we can reach more people living with diabetes!** ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode title is a bit misleading (sorry!) because Benny is actually marking 17 years with type 1! He's away at college and while I hope to talk to him for the show soon, we just couldn't swing it in time for his actual diaversary. To mark the date, we're going to replay the first time I talked to Benny for this podcast – which I did along with my husband and my daughter back in 2016. This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Find out more about Moms' Night Out - we have announced FOUR LOCATIONS for 2024! Use promo code MOM30 to save $30 off any city This is a longer episode, so I wanted to break it down a bit - and a full transcription is below. 00:00 2023 Stacey introduction, talks about Benny's 17th diaversary 03:55 2016 Stacey explains how the order of interviews and a few housekeeping notes 05:22 Slade 24:27 Lea 40:42 Slade (part 2) 1:12:15 Benny 1:26:07 2023 Stacey wraps it up   Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Take Control with Afrezza  Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription below - our transcription service doesn't speak diabetes perfectly, so please excuse any mistakes. Thanks! Stacey Simms 0:05 This is Diabetes Connections with Stacey Simms. This week is my son's 17th diversity 17 years with type one to mark what's really his entry into being a young adult with T1D. He's almost 19 We're going to take a look back at when he was a lot younger. We've got a replay of the first time I talked to Benny for this podcast back in 2016. It's a conversation that also includes my husband and my daughter. This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Welcome to another week of the show. I'm your host, Stacey Simms. And you know, we aim to educate inspire about diabetes with a focus on people who use insulin. I am not great about remembering Benny's exact dye aversary. And most of the reason why is because his diagnosis was very, it was prolonged, I would say it really only took a week, maybe a week or a couple of days from the time that I called our pediatrician and said, I don't like what I'm seeing Something's really wrong to an actual in hospital diagnosis and, and all the education that goes with it. But we had so many bumps along the way. And I've told these stories before, you know, a fasting blood glucose. That was normal, it was 80. And that was on a Monday. And then some subsequent diagnoses of things that we now know were just symptoms, you know, infection, things like that, that they treated, and we thought, yeah, we got it. And then finally, the A1C results, which came back five days after that initial fasting blood glucose, which is when they sent us to the hospital, all of that to say I remember the days of the week, Monday was the pediatrician Saturday was the phone call to go to the hospital. But I never remember the actual dates. Social media memories usually remind me and sure thing they came up this morning. So I'm recording this on Benny's actual 17 year diver serie on December 2, December also means and I need to tell you one quick thing about moms night out that the early bird special for Charlotte is over. I do have a promo code for you that you can use on the regular price to save $30 off. And that promo code is m n o 30. Mom's night out m and o 30. You'll save $30. With that I will put a link in the show notes. You can always go to diabetes dash connections.com. We have a mom's Night Out tab as well there now. If you go there we are announcing our next cities this week, I may have already done so. So follow on social for that announcement or click on over to the website, click on the mom's side out tab. See the new cities registration is not open for them. But you can sign up to be emailed directly when registration does open. And for more information. All right. I am hoping to talk to Benny for a new episode soon. As you know he's away at college. And I cannot wait to get that kid home for winter break. As this episode goes live. I think he's coming home in about 10 days, not that I'm counting diabetes, while he's been away has been fine. But I've tried really hard not to ask him a lot of bout it other than once in a while like you're doing okay. Right? Because we don't follow his Dexcom anymore. And I really don't know much day to day. You know, he's reordered supplies with me. So I know he's he's doing that kind of stuff. I can't wait to talk to him more. I will let you know when we're going to be taking questions for that episode, we'll post to the Facebook group for that. These conversations you're about to hear were recorded in fall of 2016. Benny is in sixth grade, his voice hasn't even changed yet. Oh, my goodness, I left in the original introduction, which gives more context. But I also want you to know, this is a much longer discussion than I remember. So I'm going to do more comprehensive shownotes with some time codes, if you want to kind of jump around on this episode and pick and choose where you want to listen. So here we go. My family's thoughts on one decade. Remember, this is seven years ago with type one. Stacey Simms 03:55 This part of the podcast is usually where I interview somebody else get them to share their story and their thoughts about living with diabetes. This is different. This is my family's story. And let me tell you, this is what I've done my entire career, talk to people interview people since before I even graduated from college. And these are the toughest interviews I've ever done. I was so nervous. But they were they were wonderful. And I was just thrilled that they agreed to even talk to me. My husband and my daughter are really not front and center. Attention people. I don't know how they live that way. But here's how it's going to go. You're going to first hear from me and my husband Slade. And then you'll hear from Leah. We're in the middle of that interview. I'm going to pause the conversation. And then you'll hear Leah's interview, because I had maybe the most Frank, honest and open conversation about our brothers diabetes that we've ever had. And then we'll wrap that up and you'll hear more from me and slay And then finally you'll hear from Benny. Oh my gosh, that kid, if you have a middle school boy, maybe you'll understand that conversation was, let's say it was interesting. There is a bit of overlap in these conversations as you'd expect. I mean, there are some events that we all talk about. So you'll hear about those things more than once, that sort of thing. Okay, here we go. I'm really interested to see what we talked about today because Slade doesn't really talk about Benny's diabetes publicly. I mean, of course, you you're very, very involved, and you talk about it, I'm sure with friends, and things like that. But it's not like you are front and center at functions. And, you know, that kind of thing over the years, I don't Slade 5:41 have a podcast, Stacey Simms 5:43 I could help you set one up. But I've been told in the past, I speak enough for everybody in the family. So I'm really interested to hear what you have to say if your conversation matches mine. Alright, so let's start 10 years ago, Ben, he was diagnosed with type one. He was not yet two years old. And Leo was just had just turned five. What I remember vividly is the month before he was diagnosed, when I was working at WB T, doing morning radio, you got the kids every morning. So you used to text me, like 730 or seven o'clock every morning and say, you know, kids are okay are off to daycare or you know, here's a funny picture. And you texted me one day and said you are not going to believe the amount of pee that came out of this kid. Do you remember that? Like the mattress is soaked in the floor was wet. I Slade 6:35 remember one morning, getting him out of his crib, right? And the entire mattress was soaking wet. Like everything. All the blankets were wet. The pillow was where the entire mattress was. So it was I'm like it didn't make any sense to me. Stacey Simms 6:53 Right. And you know me at work. I was kind of thinking when you trade off like we did because sleep had a restaurant for many years. So I had the kids in the afternoon and in the evening when he was working. And he had the kids every morning because I used to do a morning radio show that started at 5am. And I just remember thinking, not on my shift like you gotta fix Slade 7:14 which I did right away. Of course, drying the mattress out trying to figure out what happened, but we Stacey Simms 7:19 kind of thought it was a one off. Oh, yeah. Because it didn't happen again for a while. Yeah. And then it happened to get about three weeks later. Well, Slade 7:25 we noticed I think from that point on over the next couple of weeks that he was drinking a tremendous amount of liquid for a 18 month old or 20 month old. It was you know, and he would suck down a little 10 ounce sippy cup in like, you know, 15 or 20 seconds. It was absurd. Stacey Simms 7:45 So the the mattress wedding thing was in October, I think late October or something. And then of course, there was Halloween, which I'm sure didn't do him any favors. That was the year the kids dressed up. But it was the only matching costume we ever did. Leo was Ariel and Benny was flounder. And then, at Thanksgiving, we had family photos on the Friday of Thanksgiving that year. And then we went to the lazy five ranch. And I've told this story before one of my brothers was here, right brother David was there, right? And I posted that picture recently on Facebook of David and Benny with a giant glass of orange juice. And then we went to the lazy five ranch and of course Benny couldn't he was still in diapers and he was soaked and he was just laying down and he was exhausted. He felt like garbage. And then that Monday, we went to the pediatrician that Monday right after Thanksgiving, right? And Slade 8:37 then I mean, I think they did a fasting glucose and a few other things. And they thought he had a urinary tract infection knew and I already had suspicions that it was something more like it didn't make any sense. Yeah. And then it was a few days into an antibiotic for what they thought was a urinary tract infection and there was no change. And so his outward symptoms continued to be the same right where he drank tremendous amounts of water and liquid and was always going to the bathroom. Stacey Simms 9:08 Well on that Monday when we went to the doctor his as you said his fasting glucose was normal. It was 80. And then they did a blood draw. They must have found something in his urine, right? They must have found sugar in it because I remember they did a urine test to do a urine test on a kidney. They didn't Slade 9:24 remember that we had to kind of push for them to do an A1C like they it took a week or so. Yeah, Stacey Simms 9:30 but we didn't ask for A1C We just asked for a blood test. I didn't know what we were asking for did I remember holding you had to hold him down? Yes, I did have to hold them down Leah was in the hallway Leah remembers that remember some screaming? Slade 9:40 It wasn't exactly pleasant. Stacey Simms 9:44 Yeah, and then he did that they said I had a urinary tract infection. And I remember when we treated it he seemed to feel better once a day right just from the urinary because he did have one but you know job raucous or pediatrician friend down the street said to me Why would a healthy two year old boy have a urinary You're trying to keep keep looking. So I was convinced at this point that he was he had contracted a fatal disease. I was on the internet. I was looking at all sorts of horrible things. I thought he had kidney cancer. I really did. I was so scared. And then he seemed to feel better. And then on Saturday, they called us and David was still here. And they called us on Saturday and said, like it was an emergency get to the hospital. But they wouldn't. They didn't tell me why. Well, they did tell they thought they told me why because they told me his blood sugar was like, you know, 700, or the A1C correlated to, you know, I don't know what it was. But I remember thinking, He's fine. He looks fine. He's doing okay. Why do we have to rush to the hospital? But we did. Slade 10:33 Yeah. But I remember during that week that we kind of, we were guessing that it might have been diabetes? Stacey Simms 10:42 Oh, well, yeah. Because most people and you know, the symptoms matched perfectly. But I think it was the fasting glucose being kind of normal that threw me off. And I of course, went to worst case scenario, Slade 10:51 you went, you definitely went deeper. But you know, still concern. Yeah. Not knowing. And it's, it's a scary thing, when the doctor calls and says, Take your kid to the emergency room. And you go while he's walking around playing with some toys, he's just fine. So and then, of course, it's just a, it's a crash course. Right? You get admitted in two days later, you're out and you have diabetes and have to live with it the rest of your lives. Stacey Simms 11:19 Oh, you know, one thing I forgot is, when we took him to the pediatrician that first time on the Monday after Thanksgiving, when I called, we knew just enough to say he's got the symptoms of type one. We knew that much that the pain and the drinking, because of all the stuff I'd done with JDRF already and in Charlotte, and my pediatrician, Dr. Scott said, I've never seen it in anybody younger than two. Right, bring him in, and we'll rule it out. And thankfully, you know, they took us seriously because I've heard some nightmare stories of people that don't. But what's funny is, here we are 10 years later, almost every time I go to that pediatrician, and it's one of these big practices with like eight doctors, they all look at Benny's chart and we go in, they say, oh, like he was the youngest one we saw at that time, you know, and now of course, there's lots of kids that are diagnosed younger, unfortunately. But for that practice, it was it was unusual. It's pretty unique. Slade 12:07 Yeah, I just I just distinctly remember that we had to push a little bit. Yeah. To get them to think in that direction. Stacey Simms 12:15 Oh, when he walked in with AD, yeah, they tried to figure out something else. So Slade 12:19 I mean, I think all that really says is, doesn't matter what the age or what you're thinking, you have to be your own advocate, you know, in some way, shape or form, if you're not your voice, then there's an opportunity to miss something. Right? Not get a good look at it. So I think that I think that not going down the you know, the rabbit hole right? To something considerably more catastrophic. And trying to rule that stuff out. You have to, you have to ask and you have to instruct and you have to, you know, your medical team, you have to be part of the conversation, right? You can't just tell me what to do. Stacey Simms 13:04 But it's hard to in some ways, because you don't know what you don't know. But you're I agree with you. You have to we've learned this for many years. Now. You got to push you got to be your own advocate, you got to ask questions. But, you know, if I didn't know, peeing and drinking was a sign of type one, I don't think I would have known what to ask the doctor. Right. But Slade 13:19 I also think that that I don't think doctors are offended by that. I think that that helps them do what they're trained to do is help. Help people get better. And if you're not engaged in the conversation, it's a one way street. Yeah. It Stacey Simms 13:32 would help. Alright, so we're in the hospital now. And I remember he had those things. What are those things called all over you with a stick you the sticky things I had like an Slade 13:41 EKG monitor, right, and he kept pulling Stacey Simms 13:43 them off? Slade 13:44 Yeah, that couldn't have felt good. Stacey Simms 13:48 That was like when we first started using the Hulk analogy, because he was like the baby Hulk pulling everything off. Slade 13:54 Well, it's interesting, and he doesn't have any idea what's going on. Stacey Simms 13:57 But that night, we took turns, you know, you went home. I stayed. And they pretty much didn't tell us until the middle of the night that he had type one. They kind of I think everybody thought we knew. And finally I asked if they had a diagnosis. And they said, Yeah, he's got they would like yeah, he's got type 1 diabetes. I mean, they were nasty about it. But I think everybody thought someone else had told us along the way. Slade 14:19 We didn't see Dr. Werner alto second day or the next day. Yes. We Stacey Simms 14:23 went in on Saturday morning or Saturday, mid morning. We saw nurses and hospitalists there was that one horrible woman. She came in and she smelled. She didn't say anything to us, like not Hello, how are you? I'm so and so she came right in and smelled him. And now I know it was for fruity breath. Right? So when she came in, she smelled him. And you know, I am of course very calm. I said, What are you doing to my son? Who were you? She kind of explained but she kind of left us like you're not coming back and just I don't know what I said. I'm sure it was very nice. But yeah, that night we met the hospitalist. And that was when that was when he said to me, who stays home with Benny, not our endocrinologist, but but just a hospitalist, a doctor who sees people in hospital. And I was already panicking because I had my dream job. And I had health insurance. You had a restaurant you owned a restaurant is that like you can untangle from that pretty easily? You know, I'm closing the doors. When Slade 15:21 we tried to untangle from it, it took a long time. Stacey Simms 15:25 And I was terrified because it couldn't really quit. I wanted to quit my job. But I had to health insurance and I really didn't want to quit my job either. So we said who stays home with Benny? I said, nobody really nasty. And then I burst into tears. And you weren't there. And Vinnie, do not remember you were not there. He was another night. And then then he put his kidneys awake. He's 23 months old. He puts his arm around me. He says it's okay, Mommy. I was like, Dude, you better get your stuff together to myself. You bet this is your 10 year old is comforting you this is not how it's supposed to work. And that was a big turning point for me. And like the guy was great. He said, I'm sorry. He said, What I should have said is what's your situation? He's like, I'm just trying to help you acclimate? And he told us even go back to daycare. And he you know, nobody said no to us. They'll try to help us figure out how to make it work. But that moment was a big turning point for me. Slade 16:14 I don't think I had any big turning points. I mean, the only thing that I realized was, you know, when we finally did come home, and you know, I went grocery shopping. Stacey Simms 16:26 Oh my god, wait. So hold on. Let's get there. So we met Dr. V. The next morning on a Sunday. And he came in and I remember him coming in and saying hi to us and being great. But getting right on the floor with Benny. Yeah, Slade 16:39 and what I remember. And and you have a better memory than I do. But what I remember is him saying listen, based on where we are today with treating this. There isn't any reason he shouldn't have the exact same life he would have without diabetes that he has with diabetes. I mean, that was that was that just set the tone? Right? Stacey Simms 17:00 Yeah, it really did. And I remember, thank you. I will anyway, I remember, like my first questions to him, because what do you know about diabetes? Right? You know, type two, I remember thinking and asking him like, do I have to cut his toenails differently? Like? He was like, Oh, I could see, right? Yeah, take a deep breath. And like, this lady is gonna be fun. But he got right on the floor and met Benny and I don't think he had kids at that point. He did not. Yeah. And he was terrific. But I interviewed him. I said to him, you know, I'm glad to meet you. But you know, I don't know anything about endocrinology, or endocrinologist, or endocrinologist in this town. Right? Of course, I want to make sure that my child has the best. So I asked him a million questions. And he was great. He was really great. Yeah, Slade 17:49 I just think he set the tone that said, hey, what you're going to deal with is lifelong. And then that's the way it is. But it's not life threatening. Yeah. Doesn't have to be life threatening, right? Stacey Simms 18:03 He didn't he didn't come in and tell us a cure is around the corner. He talked a little bit about the artificial pancreas. I remember because I asked him about technology. He he did say that they were one of the first practices in the country that routinely gave pumps to toddlers, because this was 2006. So that wasn't happening all over the place that he thought that Benny we know down the road, we would talk about that. But he was not overly he didn't promise anything. Slade 18:30 No, actually he did. He promised us Benny would have a normal life if he took care of himself. Right? Well, that's true. It didn't make that that's Stacey Simms 18:36 true. And that was very reassuring. And he has been consistent in these 10 years. He said, The three things that he says at almost every appointment, I'm pretty sure he told us then, which was he wants to make sure that he can live a long, healthy life he's supposed to, that he has, he feels good, and can enjoy life right now. And that we find a way to make diabetes fit into what he wants to do, and not the other way around. And we've been able to do that pretty much. It's not you know, when people say, Oh, diabetes can't stop you. I mean, some of that I, you know, I shake my head a little bit or I raise an eyebrow because, you know, obviously diabetes definitely can slow you down. And there are days when it can stop you. That's okay. I mean, you know, when you break your leg, it's gonna stop you. You know, I you know, it's I know, it's a mindset more than a truism. But, you know, I think we've had a pretty realistic look at it. Yeah, I Slade 19:27 think you as you go through, particularly growing up, and there's, you know, there's minefields everywhere, right? It's just one more minefield, right? I mean, it's something else, you have to navigate it and it gets added into your routine added into the way that you think. And it's, yeah, it's a it's a burden because it's different than what a lot of your peers have to deal with. Is it a burden in it in that it can be a roadblock to accomplishing something you want to accomplish? like you and I think that way, I don't think that's true. Stacey Simms 20:02 We try not do not it's not a not a dead end road, you can make it that way. Well, it can be a roadblock that you can overcome, right. But it shouldn't stop you in your tracks. Slade 20:11 You can do a lot of what was me? Well, yeah, well, that's different, right? You can do a lot of what was me, but there isn't. There's a, there's a roadmap to accomplishing what you want to accomplish with diabetes. All Stacey Simms 20:24 right. Speaking of routine, let's talk about that grocery store. Slade 20:28 That was hysterical. So, you know, of course, you know, when you talk about diabetes, you talk about carbs, right. And as you load your body up with carbohydrates, you need insulin, Stacey Simms 20:38 oh, and I should add, we were put on a carb counting regime or a carb counting routine. Immediately. We didn't do any eat to the insulin, it was all give them as many shots as you want, right? And count carbs and dose him that way. Right. I mean, obviously, at first, we tried not to give him a lot of injections. But we were some people go on different routines at first, right? We weren't, we were all carb counting from the beginning, Slade 21:00 right? But it's really all about, you know, the basics of understanding how to take care of yourself is you have to know what you ingest, right? You have to know what you eat. And you can give yourself insulin to help your body, right, continue to move forward and act the way it should act right by adding an insulin. So we're like, you know, maybe we should really go low carb or no carb. So I went to the grocery store, I think I spent two and a Stacey Simms 21:30 half hours. That's what I was gonna say. It was definitely two hours. And Slade 21:34 I it's I think I know the label of every item in the grocery. But I just went and bought everything that was low carb when he came home and put it in the cupboards and put in the refrigerator and he loved some of the food and fed it to him for a few days and then realized we were feeding him fat. Yeah, Stacey Simms 21:50 we did two weeks almost of Atkins, basically. And I lost about six pounds. It was, I'm sure that had nothing to do with being crazy. But yeah, I mean, we went from eating, moderate. Everything in moderation and pretty healthy. I mean, our kids were five and not an almost two. It's not like they were drinking soda and McDonald's all the time. But we were eating things like oatmeal for breakfast and pancakes and stuff. And we went to eating sausage. And I don't it was ridiculous. Like everything Slade 22:19 was a lot of me. Yeah, it was a lot of meat and a lot of cheese. And we realized is we're just gonna, we're just eating fat, and we're gonna kill him. So after a couple of weeks, I actually threw a bunch of that stuff out. But Stacey Simms 22:29 the turning point for me or the final straw was when you were like, how about pork rinds? That's a good snack. He's doing we're Jewish. I mean, we don't keep kosher, but I don't remember. I was like, that's, I know, many people enjoy pork rinds. I'm not. I don't, I bet he would love them. Now. You can find some things, I mean, olives, beef jerky, Slade 22:56 just remember kind of throwing it out and go, that's it, we're just going to, I'm going to feed him the way we would normally feed him. And, and we will treat him medically the way that we are given the tools to do it. And that's what we're gonna do. Stacey Simms 23:08 And we also counted every carb tried to do it exactly. I think it's I think the whole thing, we figured it out two hours of routine to our day, because we had a yellow legal pad, right, we wrote everything down. We've got all the food, the dosage, the routine, but we were counting carbs, and ketchup, and green peas. And I mean everything because that's what we were told to do. Right. And I remember going for a follow up, when you go for free first followed two months later, one month later, and there was a mom and dad was like, really? This is excellent. But you do not need to do with the two cards that are in the ketchup. Well, Slade 23:40 I still think actually, that's kind of important, because you need to understand that it's out there. You need, I mean, their cards, you're ingesting Stacey Simms 23:47 what we need, and we needed to do it then to learn. Yeah. Slade 23:49 And that's what happens is you learn you know, kind of what carbs are, where they are, where they're hidden, how your body reacts to them, particularly how Benny's body reacts to them. And then it's really kind of an art at that point, right? It's not really a science. I mean, there's all kinds of ratios and logarithms and all that stuff. But it really comes down to everyone's body is a little different. And it's it's much more like juggling right than it is like anything else. Stacey Simms 24:27 I'm gonna pause my talk with Slade here and bring in our daughter Leah. She's three years older than Benny four years ahead in school because of where their birthdays fall. And about 40 years older in maturity right now, you know, it's okay to say that I was so happy she agreed to talk to me about this. And this might be the best discussion we've had about her brother and diabetes. I will say I remember a few things a little differently. But this is her story. Alright, so let's start at the very beginning. I when I talked to dad, we talked about when Benny was first day He noticed and one of the things that I brought up was when we had to take the first blood draw. You were outside of the doctor's office. Do you remember that? No, Lea 25:08 I remember the electrodes, but and him always pulling them off. But I don't remember the blood draw. We Stacey Simms 25:13 because you went to the pediatricians office with us. And he was screaming his head off, and you were in the hallway. Because you were just you just turned 508. Lea 25:21 I think I do. Remember I was playing with my LeapFrog. And I was sitting in the hallway. And I was like, I would hear screaming, but I'd be like, Oh, it's whatever. It's fine. I'm gonna play my game. Stacey Simms 25:33 And then we went when Benny was in the hospital. You remember the electrodes and Uncle David was with that Lea 25:38 was funny. I mean, because I didn't understand what was going on. So it was funny, because he had electrodes all over him. And he would just like, pull them off. So they couldn't do anything. And I mean, he was crying and like, you were very frustrated. And I'm just laughing because I had no idea what was going on. Stacey Simms 25:52 And then the next day, we actually went ice skating. It was our community ice skating thing with when we were making the temple. It was like our first time though, into the ice skating rink. Lea 26:01 Did the rabbi go, Stacey Simms 26:03 I don't think they had the rabbi yet. It was just us. And you were very little. Okay, so you remember, okay, so what do you do you remember, like, what kind of things you remember from when you were little. Lea 26:14 I remember very general stuff. I don't really remember like specific instances. Like when he was first diagnosed, I didn't think anything was wrong. But apparently he was like, drinking too much and peeing too much. And I was just like, Yeah, whatever. Because I was not the biggest fan of my little brother. And I remember, as he got older, and I think it was more, I was less of like a small child and more of like, preteen, I was very upset because he'd always get so much attention, which now it's like, you get it, because it's an awful horrible thing and all blah, he needs all this stuff. But as as a small child, it was like, pay attention to me, Mother, I exist to you have a second child who was actually your first child. But you know, it was cool. I was an only child for four years, which was a wonderful thing. Stacey Simms 27:03 It was like, almost three years. Before, it was three Lea 27:07 years. Like for almost four. Stacey Simms 27:10 It was almost three, it was three U turn three, November, whatever. And then he was boring. Okay, very similar. But I remember a lot of when you were very little as you were a big helper. Like when he was first born, you would help me with the help with the baby, you would help with diapers, you would read to him every night, you know, to get sick of him all that stuff. And the same thing with diabetes. You wanted to learn how to do everything. You guys would give shots to the stuffed animals. Lea 27:35 Oh, yeah. The Little Bear and there were like little patches on it. Yeah. That's Rufus the bear with diabetes. Oh, that's fun. Stacey Simms 27:44 That's nice. And right. So you would do that. But you were very helpful to me in the backseat of the car. Because when you have a kid in a baby seat, basically, right, he was in front facing. I don't remember what the requirements were now. But like, you'd have the three point harness the five point harness those kinds of chairs. And so you were next to him? And if he was low, you you actually checked him once or twice for me when you were like five or six years old. You did? And then yes, and then you but not often, but you were very responsible. And you were like I'll do and usually I would pull over if I needed to like if dad wasn't mad. That's I mean, it wasn't making you do it. But you did it once or twice. But you were always willing and helping me the juice boxes and stuff like that. So much Lea 28:23 has changed. Stacey Simms 28:27 But then as you got older, like you said, it became more of a why? Why him? Why are you giving all the attention kind of thing? Lea 28:34 Because I never, I mean, until now I never really fully understood what, like, why he got so much of the attention. It was always just like, you spent so much time like talking to him talking about him, like calling people about it. And just you had all this you had like Lantis and Hume along, whatever all that stuff is just words that I hear around the house. But you had all of these packages shipped, like every couple of months or like, whatever you would go to these conventions and the walks and it was just like, well, let me do my walk, Dude, where's the layup walk? Stacey Simms 29:09 Do you think we should have done a better job educating you about diabetes? Because I feel like we did tell you it's Lea 29:14 not that I wasn't. It's not that I didn't really understand what it was it was just that like, I was a child. And I still am a child, but it's like, pay attention to me pay attention to me. It wasn't that I didn't know that it was some awful thing that he like needed to have all this attention because I knew that it was just like, why can't I also have attention? It wasn't like I was trying to take it away from him. It was just like me to say him. Stacey Simms 29:37 What would your advice be to parents listening to this who have a kid with type one and other kids who don't in the family? Lea 29:43 Well, you certainly don't have to. You shouldn't like take attention away from a child with diabetes just because one of your other children is feeling a little like left out but that doesn't mean that you can be you can totally ignore that child because they're still like They're your child. They're there, they need you. But it's, I think it would be better if you if someone explained to me that, like, if you'd like sat me down, and with Benny, and been like, this is what's happening, blah, blah, blah. This is why we give them so much attention. It's not that we don't love you. And just something like that. And sure, I probably still want to complain, but whatever. Like, it's fine. Stacey Simms 30:23 So like, the little things that we tried to do, like weekends away, or just you and me stuff like that, like spending, Lea 30:29 spending a weekend with my dad or with my mom, like, that's great. Because it's, it shows like, sure you spend basically every second of every day worrying about this other kid. But you still have time for me, which is pretty awesome. Stacey Simms 30:43 So tell me about camp a little bit, because this is something that you and Benny share that you do not really share with me and your dad. You I don't know if you remember, but used to come home from camp. This is the regular summer camp slip away for about a month. And tell Benny, it's gonna be so great. You're gonna love it, you know, can't wait. So you would go and I would always think there's no way. There's no way and you were ready to go when you were eight. And when he was eight, I was not ready for him to go. But we sent him anyway. What? Do you remember why you want them to go? Did you just think he would have fun? Lea 31:14 Well, I mean, when he first went, what unit like, well, how old was I? When he first went? Stacey Simms 31:21 Well, he was bony one. So you would have been three years older than that. I don't know how we can never keep track of those things. Well, he Lea 31:26 was like eight when he when he was eight. So I would have been like 11. Yeah. So at 11 It was still very much like it will because because of the fact that he's had diabetes, and we've known for so long. It's just kind of part of our lives. And I don't think of it as like this huge deal. Like it's just something that he just has to deal with him. It's like whatever, because he's a normal kid. It's not like, it's not like some other things that people can get where like you see, like, what you see the symptoms or you see, like the damage that it does, it's just sort of something that you have to deal with. And it's just like, whatever. So, I mean, it never even occurred to me that like he wouldn't go to a sleepaway camp, because that was just like, oh, yeah, it's like, Andy has diabetes. It's like, he's got brown eyes. He's got diabetes, like whatever. So, I mean, it was it was just, like, such a fun place to like to go and to get away. And it was, like, you get to do so much there that you don't really get to do at home. And it was never, it was never about him. Like, oh my gosh, he's my brother. I love him so much. I want to come to camp. It was like, I want you to experience this wonderful place. But it was it was never, it was never about the diabetes. It was just about him wanting to like go, Stacey Simms 32:37 I don't think he ever would have gone if you hadn't been so excited about it. Because that was part of the reason I wanted him to go because you liked it so much. That was wonderful. Yeah, he's really has a good time there. I mean, I'm so glad you had such a great experience to Lea 32:50 take my place. Okay, Stacey Simms 32:52 okay. All right. So that was great. I can't Unknown Speaker 32:55 go anymore. Yeah, Stacey Simms 32:56 you're too old for camp. Now. That stinks. No, Lea 32:59 but I can go back this summer if I wanted to. Next summer next summer. Yeah, but I don't think I would I might be counselor, be counseling Stacey Simms 33:06 keep your brother in line on the different side of the camp. Okay. Has since since Benny was diagnosed, I know you've met other kids with type one. But you don't come to conferences much. So it's not like this is a hey, it's a type one atmosphere, you know, other than the walks and things? Do you feel that? First of all, have you ever talked with someone and I haven't really been asked this question. But like, do you feel like knowing about Benny's diabetes has maybe helped you get to know other kids with type one better? Lea 33:38 Not really, I mean, most of the people that I talk to, like kids my age, or adults or kids Benny's age, it's always, like, that's just sort of a thing that we both know about them that they have diabetes. And it's we don't, I mean, the most that we would ever talk about is like if they were low, or if like they had to bolus for something, and it would never be like a big deal. And most of the time, we would just talk about like, other things, just because, I mean, for me, I'm just so used to my brother having it. And for them, they have it, so they just kind of have to be used to it. So neither was ever make a big deal out of it. And it's just kind of like whatever, Stacey Simms 34:11 it would be kind of weird. For teenagers, you'd be like, so tell me about your type 1 diabetes. Lea 34:18 You wouldn't. I mean, you can certainly have a conversation with somebody else about it if you don't have it yourself. But I mean, unless you're like you're very new to what diabetes is. It's generally not a big deal. Like if you're talking to somebody who has diabetes, you generally know they have diabetes, and that's why you're talking to each other. So it's never really like a major point of discussion. If that makes any sense. Got it. Did Stacey Simms 34:47 you ever have a moment where you were scared with Benny? Lea 34:51 There was I was like, it was like five minutes where you first showed me an epi pen like in case he got like really low. Oh, the glucagon, glucagon. It's an epi pen. Stacey Simms 35:05 But it's okay. But it looks like the same thing. Lea 35:07 It does the same thing. And I remember like you came up and you showed me and it was like, this big red needle or whatever. I'd never seen anything like it. And you're and you explain the whole thing to me. Like if Benny gets really low, or this happens, or if he passes out, you have to stab him in the thigh with this giant needle. Like, if nobody else was around, you have to do it, or he's gonna die. How old was like nine, five? Stacey Simms 35:30 No, I don't think I'm kidding. I don't remember how Lea 35:35 it was before I turned 10. I remember this. And I was just like, What on earth is this? You want me to stab my brother? If he's like lying on the ground? But and you're like, keeping it in the cabinet downstairs? And it's like, what is this? But I mean, other than that, it's pretty much been totally normal. And Stacey Simms 35:52 it's funny because some of our babysitter's we found because of diabetes, and you've learned to be really good friends with them, which is pretty cool as you've gotten older. Yeah. But Lea 36:01 it was never because of their diabetes. It was just like, oh, you know how to take care of yourself. You can take care of our child. Well, it Stacey Simms 36:07 was for us it was for you had nothing to do with it. What do you care if they had diabetes, it was just one of those things that we felt, we just fell into these great, we found great people. And, you know, like our neighbor, Christina, who was diagnosed as a young adult, and now she's family friends, which is really nice. She's pretty awesome. She is pretty. So family is pretty awesome. Do you worry about Ben growing up with diabetes or being an adult with diabetes? Now? Have you ever even thought about it? Um, Lea 36:29 I'm not worried for him. Not, not with him being able to take care of himself because he's totally capable. I'm just worried about like, what other people might say about it. Because when, because, people when you hear diabetes, you think of like, generally what people think of diabetes I think of as normally type two, which you can get, which is like, generally related to like obesity, or just being overweight and not healthy. But he has type one, which is totally different. And I just, I don't know, kids are mean. I mean, really, kids are kids are mean. And I don't know, I'm not worried about him. I'm worried about everybody else. Stacey Simms 37:06 In what they're gonna say that you'll beat them up if they're meeting of course. Alright, let me just make sure before we start, people had questions. I think they were mostly for Benny, but somebody did so offended. Will do me a question. It gets all the attention. I Lea 37:21 know. Isn't it? Great? Let's see if all this it's okay to complain about your sibling getting all the attention. I think that's a great point. Stacey Simms 37:30 Definitely. It's okay to complain better than season. Lea 37:34 See thing. Don't hate your parents. They're just trying to keep your other sibling alive. Oh, Stacey Simms 37:40 this was an asked these questions. I would love your daughter's perspective. Did it cause her to be jealous? attention seeking, seeking? And how does it feel to have to worry about him? Or do you worry about him? Well, Lea 37:52 I'm gonna go with the second part of this because I feel like I've already addressed like the first part of this question, but I don't really worry about him. Like at all. It's always I know, you and dad worry about him all the time. Because it's like, what if he's not bolusing? What if he's really high? Like what's going on? But I'm just like, whatever, you can take care of himself. You won't let him die. It's okay. There's a hospital down the road, he'll be fine. I mean, I probably should worry just a little bit more than I do. But it's just, it's part of my life. It's part of his life. It's just, it's something we have to do. Well, I Stacey Simms 38:23 think what we tried to do was to make you aware, but not to make it your responsibility. I just never felt like it was your responsibility as a kid, everybody. And if you remember when he got on the bus, he was in kindergarten. So you were in fourth grade. And people a lot of people said to me, Oh, well, it's what a relief that he's on the bus because even though you can't be with him, Leah's there and she can take care of. And I never felt what I told you at the time was, you don't have to worry about his diabetes, just take care of him as a sister and brothers should take care of each other. We told him that to like, if somebody's picking on you, he needs to stand up for you. And vice versa. If you get sick, he needs to holler for help. You know, it's just that kind of stuff. It was never diabetes specific. And I know you guys looked out for each other all the time, or didn't you sit next to each other all through elementary school? Lea 39:08 No, for one grade, Stacey Simms 39:09 I think Did you really say that? I was kidding. No, Lea 39:11 I think it was no, I remember because I was in like fourth grade. So I was I was like, slowly like into like the cool part and like the back of the bus. And I was really excited about it. Because like me and all my friends. We sent like the ferry back and it was like, Oh my gosh, we're so cool. We sent back the bus. But the bus driver, it was Ben he was in like second grade or like, I Stacey Simms 39:30 don't know, I remember this. This was in kindergarten. We foster going to school to major sit together. Lea 39:34 He sat in the very front row, right? They were terrified right behind the bus driver because they were like, what if he like passes out? What if he goes totally insane where he doesn't have any food. And so they made me sit with him? Because I was at SR and like, I knew that they were olders I knew it was going on and I could like call like my mom because I knew your phone number. And I was very I was very upset. But you did Stacey Simms 39:56 that for like a week or yeah, I've been told Does Yeah, there was no, yeah. And then you were like, Mom, we need to address Lea 40:04 this. We have an issue. That's Stacey Simms 40:06 great. I forgot all about that. And he was happy to see you go to Yeah, we Lea 40:10 were both like, Go away. Get away from because my brother like he couldn't talk to females on the bus because they're like, why is your sister with you are like really awkward because like, he was like in kindergarten and I was like a cool fourth grader, not really. And so, and I was just upset because I was like, I want to go sit with my friends. Now. I don't want to do my little brother like ill. Stacey Simms 40:30 And on that note, thank you so much, sweetie. This was great. No problem. You're listening to Diabetes Connections with Stacey Simms. I am so proud of her. Even though I was biting my tongue a bit. I mean, we explained diabetes a lot with her. I am sure you know that, you know. And yes, she knows an epi pen and glucagon are not the same thing. But wow. That was that was nice for me. That was really great to talk to Leah. All right, let's go back to me and Slade. And when we left off, we were started to talk about how we try to make diabetes fit into our life, rather than making life revolve around diabetes. Before before we left the hospital, though. We had a long planned event with our congregation. That that year that summer, we had also decided to help start our temple, right. That was that summer and then this this winter, this happened. But we had a an ice skating. I had planned an ice skating event in downtown Charlotte for the Sunday the day after Benny was diagnosed. So we were still in the hospital. And we talked about it and you said you should go right. And I didn't take Leah. And so you went to the hospital that day, we traded off. And I took Leah to the ice skating rink and I was really nervous. And I was really kind of upset about leaving him in the hospital. I'm so glad I did that. I'm so glad I did that. Because it showed her that life goes on. It kind of convinced me that life goes on. It was a great fun event. And our friends and our community were amazing. They were just amazing. It was so supportive of me. And they made sure we had fun. It was great. I'm so glad we did that. That was cool. Slade 42:17 Yeah, I think that kind of sets or maybe not on purpose, but kind of set the tone for how are you we're trying to normalize we we work really hard and normalizing our lives. In fact, we live our lives first and treat diabetes second, almost, right, because it's just part of what you have to do. It's kind of like you have to put your shoes on if you're gonna go outside, right. So you have to treat your diabetes when whenever you're out and about so. But I think that kind of set the tone for it, right? I mean, because you can you can get into a dark place if you don't. Stacey Simms 42:50 Well, and Dr. Dr. V. also told us probably that day, or the next day, don't buy him a pony for checking his blood sugar. Right. Don't reward him unduly because this is not going away. Yeah, it's not like, you know, oh, boy, I Slade 43:04 think you started looking at ponies Stacey Simms 43:06 I would have looked at I was looking at Porsches looking at everything. It's really funny. You know, it's it's interesting to when you talk about life goes on. I think we put him back in daycare, right? Three days later? Slade 43:19 Well, we're very fortunate. Was it three days high? It Stacey Simms 43:22 was very soon, probably within a week. And we were lucky. Slade 43:25 But we were very fortunate in that the people who are the managers at the daycare center, had had some experience, and then took it upon themselves to go and get more training. Yeah, it was crazy. So we were really fortunate, but that that wasn't common than it was only 10 years ago isn't common, but it's very common now. So I think the challenges that people have about daycare are they're much easier barriers now than when, even just 10 years ago. Stacey Simms 43:56 I would say that there are more resources to help. But I think that daycare is a huge challenge for a lot of people. I don't know how lucky we were. Slade 44:06 Well, no, I don't disagree that it's a huge challenge. But it's there are more and more kids that are diagnosed that come through the doors at daycare centers, and they are their experience level is much higher than it was 10 years. Stacey Simms 44:19 Well, what happened with us was there was a family right before us with a little girl and the mom was a teacher and a nurse. It was crazy. So she had made a whole guide book for them and came in and trained a few people. And so when we brought Benny they knew more than we did I wanted him to sleep there. I kind of did no no. And and Rebecca who was the manager who really just became part of the family for a while. And one or two of the teachers, as you said they did more training. I sent them to one of the JDRF training days and they learned along with us they were absolutely amazing. Then that little girl moved just like three days after we came back from the hospital so they weren't even there. And then the other thing I remember, I should probably stay chronological but I'll skip ahead We had a planned trip with my friends, my college roommate with Beth and Dave, to Las Vegas in. Slade 45:06 But you know, back to the daycare thing, I think the key, the key to that is, and it's kind of the way we've always dealt with it is, our objective is when we put our son in the care of somebody else, particularly early on, our objective was to make them feel as comfortable and as confident as possible, that they that they could take care of them there or, you know, we didn't put pressure on them to say, you know, you were worried you're not going to be able to, or we were scared parents, we let them know that, you know, it's if you have to dial 911, you dial 911, it's okay, you do the best that you can with the tools that we're giving you and the tools that you have. And I think that that's, that's a hard hurdle for people to get over. But I think if you get over that, you get a lot more help. Right, and you get a lot more people who, when they're when your child is in their care that they feel confident, we all know that feeling confident, no matter what you're doing, helps you perform better. So we really worked hard at trying to instill confidence in the people that were at times across the years taking care of our son. Stacey Simms 46:16 I think we were also the beneficiaries in a weird way of less or no social media. You're not on Facebook a ton, and you're not in all these diabetes groups. But I think if if I had been when Benny was diagnosed, my outlook might be different. Because some of them have 1000s and 1000s of people in them and everybody's experience is different. And you know, it is on Facebook, you only see the best and the worst. And people post a lot of nightmare stories that other people assume are the norm, and they're not. And I think I would have been more frightened, I would have loved the support. I mean, we had nobody up here for the first couple years. We didn't know anybody. But I think that that that has added to I don't want to do a whole thing on social media here. But I think that has added to some of the fear was, Slade 47:01 I think that and because social media wasn't as prevalent as it isn't, it's the same thing, right? You believe half of what you hear and less than what you read, right? I mean, it's you have to make decisions based on your own experiences. And it's okay to view other experiences and see how they might, might influence what you're doing. But you can't, you can't say it happened to that person. So it's going to happen to me. Exactly. Stacey Simms 47:26 And I will say he was great. I mean, he had highs, he had lows, he was always safe and happy, which as you know, if you listen, that's my goal is not perfect, but safe and happy. And the one time he went to the hospital was Was he he just got his thumb caught in the door. You remember he did Slade 47:41 the same thing that other people do at daycare, they get hurt falling down, you know, somebody threw a block at his head, right? I mean, that's the same kind of stuff. And you Stacey Simms 47:51 needed stitches. That was the one thing. And I was so nervous, because that wasn't too long after diagnosis, maybe a couple months, and I'm still nervous, because my oh my gosh, how are we gonna manage diabetes? Fine. It Slade 48:01 was fine. It was easy. Stacey Simms 48:02 It was easy. So the next big thing that happened in terms of life goes on was we went to Las Vegas with my college roommate. And I called my mom because she was going to come watch the kids and my parents lived in Florida. And I said, you know, I don't know if we should do this, you know, should we stay? And life goes on. You have to go you have to go. She said, You know, this is not you know, I'll do it. I'll do it. So as we started talking about she said, but I can't give them a shot. I got it. And you know what? I think she would have if she had to she would have right? Yeah. But we were very fortunate one of the girls from daycare, who was as she was trained to be a nurse, right? She was nursing student, Kristen. She was so she came over. I met her she stayed here. But she came over and did all the insulin at the weekend. And you know and mom called us a ton we were in was the Aladdin was it? It was it was the end of the Aladdin right? Because they Slade 48:59 Yeah, it wasn't. Oh, yeah, it was yeah, they return it they were tearing Stacey Simms 49:03 down around us. And so I remember distinctly like taking a call from her getting in the elevator on the Aladdin and losing the call. And then she called me back. So when we when we mean it, but we had a great time. Slade 49:15 Was that before the show we went to what show the show when Dave Stacey Simms 49:19 No, that was that was months after the show was the following weekend. It's what you tell us. Okay, so when you tell I'll tell the story. So one week after diagnosis. We're so fortunate. My brother in law David Slate's brother says four older brothers. And David is closest in age to him. So David was staying us for like a month after Thanksgiving. It was great. He was in between jobs. And he's just so close to my kids. It was wonderful. Unfortunately for him, he was here for diagnosis. So we had tickets to spam a lot. Me and you that following weekend. So again, David's like go go I've got it. I mean, David knew just as much as we did at that point. Yeah. So we get three numbers into spam a lot. I mean to know if it was that lady of the Like, I don't know where that is, or maybe I made it up. And, you know, in the phone rings, so you go out to take the call and like 15 minutes later yeah, it wasn't because I saw three numbers I think you saw like, and I went out to see what was going on. And he thought, you know, when you think about how you dose a little kid, he was 27 pounds. He was 23 months old, and he got like little puffs of insulin. But we were using syringes, right? So he would get like a quarter of a unit or you tried to estimate a half a unit and I think he was supposed to get a half a unit and David gave him six units or something like that. Or two, you couldn't have taken two units. I mean, he had this tiny little dose and David thought he gave him four times as much right? So we couldn't figure it out. So we just said forget it. We went home. As I remember Slade 50:43 on our way home. We were driving home and he had it under we never stopped him. Did we? Yes, of course. We Stacey Simms 50:49 came home. Okay, we we didn't come home. I thought we went right to the NATs house. Okay, so he's but But what happened? Is we checked or he checked. Isn't that funny? I can't remember either. We're getting old honey. So he checked or we checked and his blood sugar never felt right. He was perfectly fine. He was like, I'll make it up. He was like 150 all night. I mean, never fell. So he couldn't have possibly either do injection? Or he never miscalculated, right? Or, or Benny snuck a pizza in the middle of the night that we didn't know about. And so we were on our way home, right. And a friend of ours had had a holiday party going on that night. We're like, I will just go there Slade 51:22 just fine. So the we left the show early, right. I mean, we're 20 minutes into the show. We laughed. We're driving home talking back and forth with David and realized he was fine. So we kept going went by the house and went to a friend's holiday party. Stacey Simms 51:35 We're terrible parents. No, we're not. I don't think we're gonna terrible parents either. That's really funny. Yeah, and that we never saw spam a lot. No, I still haven't seen it. Slade 51:48 I mean, I want to I don't know if I could bring Benny Stacey Simms 51:55 All right, um, I promise we won't go year by year, day by day through the 10 years. But just a couple of quick things about the Look at me. Like, are you sure? Slade 52:06 I don't have a good enough memory to do that, please. Stacey Simms 52:10 Benny, God has insulin pump. We talked about that with Dr. V. Right from the beginning. And he got his pump. We went to our educator to Lynette Right. And, and we said, I remember saying give me the one that's easiest for me to use, and will be the best for him. Because I was really scared of how complicated it was gonna be. And we wound up with the atom is 2020, which is what they had back then. And I showed it to Benny, and he threw it across the room. Got Slade 52:40 your hand and chucked it. Stacey Simms 52:44 Maybe this won't work out so well. But he was two and a half. You know, we kind of explained to him what the deal was. And you know, this will be a big shot every three days. But not all the shots in between that by this point. He didn't care. You could give him a shot. Slade 52:55 He would just stick his arm up like shot, he raised his arm you give me I put his arm down. He Stacey Simms 52:59 didn't care at all. At that point. He was so so good. And so used to it. But that night when he had the pump, because we had the sailing trial for a couple of days, he said, I said do you want it? I didn't know he was gonna sleep in. So I kind of said, Do you want me to take it off? And he said no mine. And that was it. He loved it. He's just he wouldn't give it up after that. So that was really good. And we had a little trouble with the very first inset we ever did. We had a capillary, there's a lot of blood member and then we weren't sure it was going to work. And we like geniuses, we decided we were going to go away to start the pump. So we went to my parents house where this was in the summer. So you I went to my parents house for a week, because when you start an insulin pump, and they probably still do this now you have to check every three hours around the clock for the first couple days to get the level, you know, close to right. I'll go with, I'll stay with my mom. My parents spent the summers in New York at that point. I'll spend the summers spend the week in New York. And then my mom can spot me with the kids. It'll be great. I'll sleep when I sleep. And you had a golf tournament with Bill in Vermont, in Vermont. And I said, Oh go I can do this. Go ahead. And you know, I'm fine. I'll be with my parents. So I remember thinking when we first had that bad inset, this isn't I'm never gonna get on a plane. This is not working. And I remember we changed it and he was, you know, we've checked in right before we got in the car to go to the airport. And luckily it was fine. So I was much calmer. We were crazy to do this Slade 54:20 as well. And I remember I was in Vermont and I don't know if I think I was supposed to pack up the diabetes supplies. Stacey Simms 54:29 I don't know. That guy was yes, you packed all the diabetes supplies and I for the record. Slade is fastidious, he is an excellent Packer. Usually what happens is I put out clothing and then you pack it. Yeah, I mean, he's really, I would trust him more than myself in terms of remembering things. So I'll give you that much credit. Yeah, well, you blew this one. Oh, I forgot to add Slade 54:51 the cartridges that you refill and then put back in the pump. And I'm in Vermont and you we're scrambling, we're on the phone, you're scrambling trying to figure out what to do. And Bill had a good friend whose son had type one. And he was on a pump. We had no idea if it was the same. But like, he calls them at like eight o'clock at night, we go to his house, he gives us a couple of cartridges. I mean, it was really, and we were ready to drive back to Manhattan, right? Or back to New York, to bring it to you. And you guys had figured out another way to Yeah, Stacey Simms 55:27 but it was really funny. Because again, before Facebook, yeah, I probably could have put out a message and said, Does anybody have this within 30 miles and somebody would have helped me out. So what happened was, we went to change the cartridge, and I'm all proud of myself, because I've got it all laid out, and I'm calm. And so we had a good start to the pump. We really, we didn't need a lot of adjusting for whatever reason the dosing worked out pretty easily pretty quickly. So when I went to change the cartridge, I was feeling maybe overconfident. So I had everything else spread out everything right. And I realized where the cartridges were the cartridges. So I called our endocrinology office, and I called our educator and the endocrinologist called back first and said, You need a luer lock needle, and what the heck and you can't get it at a pharmacy. So my dad is gone. I'm going to the hospital. And he goes to get the luer lock needle so he can say you can screw it on to the cartridge and I had insulin I had an insulin vial. So then Lynette our educator calls me back, she says, We're gonna MacGyver this thing. And she teaches me over the phone, how to, you know, open up the cartridge had to make sure that you have enough space in it and and then we just injected the insulin and it was a regular needle. So she was really helpful, and she was so happy to do it. She was fantastic. I also had called the Animus, and they couldn't do anything that night. But the next morning, they came to my mom's house in rural Westchester County, which if you're not familiar with Westchester County, there's like old she is less than I said rural Westchester County it is what is it? It's not like there are farms there. I mean, they're like Ralph, Lauren owns a farm. But what I mean is they're tiny roads, they're not well marked. I can't say that. It's Slade 57:11 like any other street it has. Your house has a number in his street name, I find it to be very confused. Like it was unmarked land and her whole western neighbor fought Stacey Simms 57:20 with machetes to get to my mother's. I was impressed that they came over the next morning, and they gave me different cartridges, different sam

It's In the News, a look at the top stories and headlines from the diabetes community happening now. Top stories this week: infusion set recall, update on ViaCyte stem cell research, a few new studies look at sleep and diabetes, actual clinical research into cinnamon for type 1 and lots more. Links & transcript below Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Take Control with Afrezza  Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcript: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX Our top story this week… XX A recall of infusion sets. This is the VariSoft infusion set used with Tandem Diabetes Pumps. The recall here isn't new.. but the FDA has changed the rating to Class 1, its most serious. The VariSoft version is flexible and can be put in place at an insertion angle anywhere between 20 and 45 degrees, it's usually recommended for people “who are thin or who have scar tissue or limiting potential insertion sites.” The problem is that the connector can detach from the set – which means no insulin is going in. To date, according to the FDA notice, there has only been one report of injury related to the recall. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/fda-gives-class-i-recall-rating-infusion-sets-used-tandem-insulin-pumps XX An already existing drug may help preserve beta cell function in people with new onset type 1. It's got a very long name, so it's usually referred to as DFMO.  It inhibits a pathway, which plays a role in the inflammatory responses in autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes. It's sold under a few names for different conditions, including Vaniqa which is a cream for unwanted hair growth in women. It also has orphan designations for treating various cancers, including neuroblastoma. The new safety study by Sims and colleagues, which was published November 1 in Cell Medicine Reports, enrolled 41 people with type 1 diabetes that had been diagnosed within the previous 8 months, including 31 children. Participants were randomly assigned to undergo oral treatment with DFMO at one of five doses or placebo for 3 months, with 3 additional months of follow-up. Following a mixed-meal tolerance test at 6 months, the C-peptide area under the curve ― a measure of beta-cell function ― was significantly higher with the three highest DFMO doses compared to placebo (P = .02, .03, and .02 for 125 mg/m2, 750 mg/m2, and 1000 mg/m2, respectively). https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/998671?form=fpf XX Despite earlier promising findings, it seems unlikely that cinnamon can improve blood sugar levels in people with type 1, or insulin-dependent, diabetes, researchers report. Previous research has shown that cinnamon appears to help fat cells recognize and respond to insulin. In test tube experiments and in animal studies, the spice led to a noteworthy increase in the processing of glucose. Moreover, in a previous study of people with type 2, or non-insulin dependent, diabetes, those who incorporated a small amount of cinnamon each day for 40 days into their normal diets experienced a healthy drop in blood sugar levels. But a new study of teenagers with type 1 showed cinnamon made no difference after 90 days . In fact, "In essentially all outcomes...the trend favored the placebo group, although did not achieve statistical significance," the researchers report.   https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cinnamon-diabetes-idUSSIB65463020070406/ XX New results from ViaCyte clinical trials – that's a stem cell-based treatment for type 1 diabetes.  The therapy aims to replace the insulin-producing beta cells that people with type 1 diabetes lack. Dubbed VC-02, the small medical implant contains millions of lab-grown pancreatic islet cells, including beta cells. The devices—approximately the size of a Band-Aid and no thicker than a credit card—are implanted just beneath a patient's skin where it is hoped they will provide a steady, long-term regulated supply of self-sustaining insulin. The clinical trial was conducted at Vancouver General Hospital, with additional sites in Belgium and the U.S. Ten participants, each of whom had no detectable insulin production at the start of the study, underwent surgery to receive up to 10 device implants each.   Six months later, three participants showed significant markers of insulin production and maintained those levels throughout the remainder of the year-long study. These participants spent more time in an optimal blood glucose range and reduced their intake of externally administered insulin.   One participant, in particular, showed remarkable improvement, with time spent in the target blood glucose range increasing from 55% to 85%, and a 44% reduction in their daily insulin administration.   In another ongoing trial, the UBC-VCH team is investigating whether a version of the device containing cells that have been genetically engineered to evade the immune system, using CRISPR gene-editing technology, could eliminate the need for participants to take immunosuppressant drugs alongside the treatment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-11-stem-cell-based-treatment-blood-sugar.html XX A new look at sleep quality in people with type 1 finding that more time in range means better sleep. No surprise here, but important to quantify. Interestingly, recurrent high or low blood sugar, rather than constant or prolonged higher levels seems associated with worse sleep. A study in adults with type 1 diabetes showed that 17.7% wake up every night, and 53.5% wake up once or twice a week1. This was a small pilot study – the researchers want to now move to a larger one. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-47351-x XX New study looks at women, sleep and insulin sensitivity. This is a small study, only 40 women, which found that particularly post menopausal women who sleep less 7 hours per night may have impaired insulin sensitivity regardless of body fat. Nearly 40 women were randomly assigned to either restricted sleep or adequate sleep for 6 weeks, then crossed over to the other sleep condition. During sleep restriction, women slept an average of 6.2 hours per night vs 7-9 hours per night. Both fasting insulin levels and insulin resistance were significantly increased during sleep restriction with more insulin needed to normalize glucose. These researchers say if sustained over time, it is possible that prolonged insufficient sleep among individuals with prediabetes could accelerate the progression to type 2 diabetes https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/insufficient-sleep-impairs-womens-insulin-sensitivity-2023a1000tlz XX XX Pregnant women with type 2 who use CGM saw improvement in blood glucose levels but only if they used the device more than 50% of the time during their pregnancy. This study involved high-risk women from regional and remote Australia all with type 2. No changes in diabetes metrics were seen in those who used the CGM only early or late in their pregnancies. https://www.healio.com/news/endocrinology/20231128/greater-use-of-cgm-linked-to-glycemic-benefits-for-pregnant-women-with-type-2-diabetes XX Commercial XX When it comes to walking and type 2 diabetes risk, it's not just how much you do it that helps — it's also how fast you move, a new study has found.   Brisk walking is associated with a nearly 40% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life, according to the study published Tuesday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.   “Previous studies have indicated that frequent walking was associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the general population, in a way that those with more time spent walking per day were at a lower risk,” said the study's lead author Dr. Ahmad Jayedi, a research assistant at the Social Determinants of Health Research Center at the Semnan University of Medical Sciences in Iran. The study authors reviewed 10 previous studies conducted between 1999 and 2022, which assessed links between walking speed — measured by objective timed tests or subjective reports from participants — and the development of type 2 diabetes among adults from the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan.   After a follow-up period of eight years on average, compared with easy or casual walking those who walked an average or normal pace had a 15% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the researchers found. Walking at a “fairly brisk” pace meant a 24% lower risk than those who easily or casually walked. And “brisk/striding walking had the biggest benefit: a 39% reduction in risk. Easy or casual walking was defined as less than 2 miles per hour. Average or normal pace was defined as 2 to 3 miles per hour. A “fairly brisk” pace was 3 to 4 miles per hour. And “brisk/striding walking” was more than 4 per hour. Each kilometer increase in walking speed above brisk was associated with a 9% lower risk of developing the disease. https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/28/health/walking-speed-lowers-diabetes-risk-wellness/index.html XX Not a lot of events happening in December but there are two to tell you about: Beyond Type 2 virtual summit https://beyondtype2.org/registration-type-2-diabetes-virtual-summit/

It's In the News, a look at the top stories and headlines from the diabetes community happening now. Top stories this week: Novo Nordisk will discontinue Levemir by the end of 2024, Tandem begins limited launch of software updates that will include Dexcom's G7, Beta Bionics iLet pump will be covered until some pharmacy plans, and lots more! Links and transcript below Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Take Control with Afrezza  Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com   Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX This week was World Diabetes Day so there is a LOT going on.. Our top story is XX Novo Nordisk said on Wednesday it would discontinue its long-acting insulin Levemir in the United States, citing manufacturing constraints, reduced patient access and available alternatives. The Danish drugmaker said supply disruptions would start in mid-January, followed by discontinuation of the Levemir injection pen in April and of Levemir vials by the end of 2024. Novo has another long-acting insulin, Tresiba, on the market and says quote - "global manufacturing constraints, significant formulary losses impacting patient access effective in January 2024, and the availability of alternative options in the U.S. market" are key factors in the decision. The announcement comes eight months after Novo said it would cut U.S. list prices for several of its insulin products next year, including a 65% reduction in the list price of Levemir. Novo, which overtook LVMH (LVMH.PA) as Europe's most valuable listed company this year, posted record operating profit for the third quarter, with sales of its obesity drug Wegovy reaching $1.36 billion, up 28% from the previous quarter. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/novo-nordisk-discontinue-levemir-insulin-us-market-2023-11-08/ XX Big news from Tandem Diabetes this week – first, their Control IQ algorithm gets FDA approval for children as young as two years old. the technology's original 2019 clearance limited its use to those aged 6 and older. And.. they are officially rolling out the software update that will allow users to connect to either the Dexcom G6 or G7 CGM. If you're in the limited launch you got an email this week telling you the next steps – wider release is expected gradually in the first part of 2024. Integration with Abbot's FreeStyle Libre is expected very soon as well – which would mean Tandem's tslim x2 and Mobi pumps would be compatible with three CGMs. Full disclosure: there wasn't a media release that I received on this, but my son is in the limited launch group so we got the email.   https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/tandem-diabetes-care-cruises-fda-ok-toddler-use-automated-insulin-delivery-algorithm XX Beta Bionics iLet pump and its supplies are now covered as part of some pharmacy benefits - Express Scripts added it to its national formulary list. Historically, insulin pumps fall under the durable medical equipment (DME) insurance benefit. Usually pharmacy benefits are more flexible with fewer up front costs. The system uses an adaptive, closed-loop algorithm that initializes with the user's body weight and requires no additional insulin dosing parameters. The algorithm removes the need to manually adjust insulin pump therapy settings and variables. iLet simplifies mealtime use by replacing conventional carb counting with its meal announcement feature. This enables users to estimate the amount of carbs in their meal, categorized as “small,” “medium” or “large.” Over time, the algorithm learns to respond to users' individual insulin needs. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/beta-bionics-pharmacy-benefit-bionic-pancreas/ XX The UK has launched a pioneering study to explore the development of type 1 diabetes in adults which aims to screen 20,000 individuals. Research will enable earlier and safer diagnosis of type 1 diabetes through blood tests. This makes the UK the first country to implement general population screening for type 1 diabetes in both children and adults. The Type 1 Diabetes Risk in Adults (T1DRA) study, launched on World Diabetes Day, seeks to enroll 20,000 adults aged 18 to 70. Supported by The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and building on the Diabetes UK-funded Bart's Oxford Family study (BOX), T1DRA aims to unravel the mysteries of adult-onset type 1 diabetes. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2023/nov/groundbreaking-study-to-screen-20000-adults-for-type-1-diabetes.html XX The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), England's cost-effectiveness watchdog, has finalized a draft guidance regarding hybrid closed-loop systems, concluding that the technology should be made broadly affordable and accessible to help people with Type 1 diabetes better manage the condition. In this month's final draft guidance (PDF), NICE recommended that hybrid closed-loop technology be offered to all people with Type 1 diabetes who are having trouble controlling the condition using their existing devices.   NICE said that it has already devised a five-year rollout plan with the NHS to bring the technology to people with Type 1 diabetes. Hybrid closed-loop systems will be offered first to children, young people, existing insulin pump users and women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, after which they'll be issued to adults who have an average HbA1c reading of at least 7.5%. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/nice-recommends-hybrid-closed-loop-systems-type-1-diabetes-prompting-praise-medtronic XX     Commercial XX Kyle Banks was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on November 1, 2015 while performing with the traveling production of Disney's The Lion King.  Performing nightly for sold out audiences across the country was a dream come true, but after experiencing symptoms of the onset of type 1 diabetes, the dream temporarily turned into a nightmare. The symptoms he experienced were  typical for the onset of this chronic illness. but with limited knowledge of type 1 diabetes, he had no idea what was occurring or the drastic life change that would soon follow.  In 2020, he founded Kyler Cares in partnership with Children's Hospital New Orleans and has since connected with families from across the country that are living with this disease.  Kyler Cares seeks to improve health outcomes for people of color living with diabetes and ensuring families can access the resources and technology available for better management is the route the organization is taking to achieve that goal. At Kyler Cares we're working to improve health outcomes for people of color living with diabetes by improving access to diabetes technology, creating connections to education and resources, and fostering community as an added system of support on our journeys. Kyler Bear & Friends' T1 Diaries is an eight-part animated series for kids, dedicated to storytelling about life with Type 1 Diabetes. Our series is more than just an educational tool; it's a reflection of real-life stories and an avenue to strengthen community ties. It's a vehicle for us to inspire young people to begin laying a foundation of knowledge and self-confidence with management of T1D that will resonate throughout their lives until a cure for the disease is discovered.   By supporting this series with a donation, you will be contributing to a project that not only educates and informs but also offers comfort and a sense of belonging to kids navigating life with T1D. ‘Kyler Bear's T1 Diaries' isn't just a series; it's a beacon of hope, a source of information, and a testament to the strength found in our amazing T1D community. Join us in bringing these stories to life XX Married At First Sight UK ends this week, but one bride says viewers haven't seen her whole story.   Fans will find out if Tasha Jay, 25, decides to stay with partner Paul Liba on the Channel 4 show.   But Tasha, who has type 1 diabetes, has spoken out about how footage about her condition didn't make the final cut.   While she's "really sad" that it was left out, Tasha's pleased that people are now realising why she behaved in a certain way on the show at times.     Married at First Sight - or MAFS - is a social experiment where experts match complete strangers who try to live as a couple.   Tasha says her wedding day with Paul on the show was a "really beautiful moment" that included her telling Paul about her diabetes and his reaction.   "I got filmed taking my insulin and checking my blood sugar," she tells BBC Newsbeat.. Tasha was diagnosed at aged two and half and says people have asked why that part of her was hidden in the show.   "And I'm like I didn't hide it," she says.   "For whatever reason they haven't shown it, which really upsets me because diabetes is a part of my story."   Tasha believes that, if people had known about her diabetes, it would have changed their perception of certain moments in the show. https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-67368445

It's In the News, a look at the top stories and headlines from the diabetes community happening now. Top stories this week: a new study looks at pancreatic exocrine-endocrine “crosstalk,” weekly basal for T1D moves forward, a Chinese company gets European approval for its CGM, a look at air pollution as a cause of T2D, lots of info and advocacy for Diabetes Awareness Month including some movies and documentaries. Links and transcript below Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Take Control with Afrezza  Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode Transcript: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX It's Diabetes Awareness Month so you're going to see a lot of advocacy posts and hear about all types of diabetes and technology and advances. It's always diabetes awareness month around here, so I'm not going to talk about each and every one of these campaigns.. but I'll share more on social. XX Our top story this week, In the largest study of its kind, researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have identified unexpected alterations in the exocrine tissues of the pancreas that occur in the two major forms of diabetes, and with aging and obesity. They're calling this a report on pancreatic exocrine-endocrine “crosstalk.” I'm not going to do it justice, it's pretty complex, so please check out the show notes with all the links. They say their work, published in the journal Diabetes, represents a significant advance in understanding how Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, alter the digestive enzyme-secreting exocrine portion of the pancreas. Not just the parts that make insulin. The pancreas has been very difficult to study because it is surrounded by other vital organs, hard to access, and it quickly deteriorates. Pancreas tissue for study must come from deceased donors or fragments of surgical specimens and those are hard to come by. This group says they were able to study an unprecedently large and well-preserved group of tissue samples from 119 donors. https://news.vumc.org/2023/11/01/pancreas-crosstalk-may-influence-course-of-type-1-and-type-2-diabetes/#:~:text=VUMC%20Reporter-,Pancreas%20%E2%80%9Ccrosstalk%E2%80%9D%20may%20influence%20course%20of%20Type,1%20and%20Type%202%20diabetes&text=In%20the%20largest%20study%20of,and%20with%20aging%20and%20obesity. XX Another promising study about Insulin icodec, a once-weekly basal injection – this time for type 1 diabetes. We've been following this for a while and the results of the year-long phase 3 clinical trial are in. After 26 weeks, once weekly basal looks just about the same as daily basal in terms of overall diabetes control. The group that received daily injections had their A1Cs go down to 7.1, the group that got the weekly basal was at 7.15. These researchers say it's very promising, but further analysis of CGM data and real world studies are needed to keep moving forward. https://www.technologynetworks.com/drug-discovery/news/weekly-insulin-for-type-1-diabetes-has-the-potential-to-be-as-effective-as-daily-regimens-trial-380487 XX air pollution raises risk of type 2 diabetes, says a landmark study out of India. This was a seven year study of 12,000 people and showed Inhaling polluted air increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, the first study of its kind in India has found. When inhaled, PM2.5 particles – which are 30 times thinner than a strand of hair – can enter the bloodstream and cause several respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. India is one of the worst countries in the world for air pollution. These researchers say “Until now, we had assumed that diet, obesity and physical exercise were some of the factors explaining why urban Indians had higher prevalence of diabetes than rural Indians,” said Dr V Mohan, chairman of the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation and one of the authors of the paper. “This study is an eye-opener because now we have found a new cause for diabetes that is pollution.” https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/nov/01/air-pollution-raises-risk-of-type-2-diabetes-says-landmark-indian-study-acc XX Time-restricted eating, also known as intermittent fasting, can help people with Type 2 diabetes lose weight and control their blood sugar levels, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open from researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago. Participants who ate only during an eight-hour window between noon and 8 p.m. each day actually lost more weight over six months than participants who were instructed to reduce their calorie intake by 25%. Both groups had similar reductions in long-term blood sugar levels, as measured by a test of hemoglobin A1C, which shows blood sugar levels over the past three months. Senior author Krista Varady said that participants in the time-restricted eating group had an easier time following the regime than those in the calorie-reducing group. The researchers believe this is partly because patients with diabetes are generally told to cut back on calories by their doctors as a first line of defense, so many of these participants likely had already tried — and struggled with — that form of dieting. And while the participants in the time-restricted eating group were not instructed to reduce their calorie intake, they ended up doing so by eating within a fixed window. Just over half the participants in the study were Black and another 40% were Hispanic. This is notable as diabetes is particularly prevalent among those groups, so having studies that document the success of time-restricted eating for them is particularly useful, the researchers said. The study was small a https://today.uic.edu/intermittent-fasting-diabetes-weight-loss/ XX XX New CGM approved in Europe. Sibionics CGM says they have more than 600-thousand users for their GS1 CGM, mostly in hospitals. It's a 14 day no calibration system with data sharing. They also make a Continuous Ketone Monitoring System(CKM). The company, based in China, says GS1 CGM products will gradually become available for pre-sales in EU countries, the UK, and other European countries. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sibionics-achieves-milestone-receiving-ce-mark-for-its-groundbreaking-gs1-continuous-glucose-monitoring-system-301974051.html XX XX Commercial – Edgepark XX Couple of movie updates for Diabetes Month! We've been following Pay or Die since it was in production, and it's now in selected theaters with a digital release on Paramont Plus coming Nov 14th. All about the high price of insulin – and the personal cost – this release means the movie is eligible for an Oscar nomination for best documentary. XX The short film Type 1 is also available to stream.. you may recall we talked to the writer behind this project is Noah Averbach-Katz, who appeared in Star Trek Discovery. His wife Mary Wiseman has a starring role and the whole Star Trek community got behind this project. The two star in the short movie which explores the barriers to insulin access put in place for diabetics through a Type 1 diabetic and his wife during their desperate search for insulin. It's presented in partnership with with T1 International and it's the film directorial debut of Anthony Rapp, the original Mark in RENT and current star of Star Trek: Discovery. https://playbill.com/article/watch-anthony-rapp-directed-short-film-type-1 XX This is where in the past I've talked about what's coming up next week on the show.. well now we have two shows! In the news will appear in both DC1 and DC2 feeds.. but the weekly interview shows will only occasionally cross over. I'll try this and see how it goes – next week on DC 1 – Dr. Mike Natter – he's an adult endo who lives with type 1, he's also an artist and has a huge following on social media. We'll find out why – he's also used the new Beta Bionics iLet pump and lets us know what he thinks about that. Next up for DC 2 – professional golfer Ken Duke talks about his diagnosis and how he manages diabetes on tour. Join us again soon!

It's In the News, a look at the top stories and headlines from the diabetes community happening now. Top stories this week: new studies on the safety and efficacy of what's called the pill form of drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro, a new study says it may be possible to diagnose a person with type 2 just by recoding their voice, the latest on Tzield, the only drug shown to stave off type 1 for any length of time, how a vegan diet impacts people with T1D, one of the team who discovered insulin gets a long-due honor, and more!   Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Take Control with Afrezza  Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX The next step in GLP-1 research is focusing on oral medications. new study looking at two different versions danuglipron dag-NEW-la-pron and orforglipron ah-for-GLOO-pron The primary examined outcome consisted of how different the absolute changes in the percentage of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) from baseline were between the treatment and control groups. Secondary outcomes included endpoint differences in body weight, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and heart rate between the treatment and control groups when absolute changes from baseline values were measured. The preliminary findings indicated that the orally administered small molecule GLP-1RAs danuglipron twice daily from Pfizer and orforglipron once a day from Lilly were effective in weight reduction and glycemic control in individuals with type 1 diabetes, obesity, or both. As compared to the controls, the novel small molecule GLP-1RAs not only resulted in a significant lowering of HbA1c levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus but in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes, danuglipron and orforglipron also brought about significant weight reduction. While the safety profiles indicated that the orally administered danuglipron and orforglipron did not increase the odds of serious adverse reactions or hypoglycemic events, the odds of adverse gastrointestinal events such as diarrhea, nausea, constipation, and vomiting were higher. These adverse gastrointestinal events were also linked to higher odds of treatment discontinuation. Further, longitudinal studies are required to understand these treatment options' long-term efficacy, tolerability, and safety. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20231017/Oral-diabetes-and-obesity-meds-danuglipron-and-orforglipron-show-promise-but-have-gastrointestinal-drawbacks.aspx XX More news about Tzield to slow type 1 progression in newly diagnosed children and adolescents. Data from the Phase III PROTECT clinical trial, presented at the 2023 Annual ISPAD Conference, showed that superior beta cell preservation was observed compared to placebo. On average, patients administered with TZIELD required numerically fewer insulin units and had numerically higher time in range, compared to those on placebo. HbA1c reductions and the overall rates of clinically important hypoglycemic events were similar among both study groups. TZIELD is the first and only disease modifying therapy in type 1 diabetes An observational extension study following participants for a further 42 months is ongoing. Release of the PROTECT trial data follows the company's acquisition of Provention Bio (a Sanofi Company) in April 2023 and therefore represents a key milestone for Sanofi. https://www.europeanpharmaceuticalreview.com/news/187735/sanofi-treatment-could-slow-type-1-diabetes-progression/ XX Lots of speculation about what the growing popularity of new diabetes drugs will do to the device market. Abbott says they're doing just fine.. and that the treatments could end up boosting sales of the medical device maker. Shares have dropped with concerns that GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro could hurt CGM sales. Abbott says their sales are actually up this year. Now, grain of salt, because this is press release info.. but it's worth noting that the device market is very important to people who use pump systems of course. Most diabetes device analysts do seem to agree with Abbott here. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/abbott-beats-profit-estimates-strong-sales-devices-diagnostics-2023-10-18/XX -- XX Could a 10-second smartphone voice recording diagnose type 2? This is something else.. biotech firm Klick Labs testing 267 people who had already been diagnosed as being either non-diabetic (192 people) or type 2 diabetic (75 people). Each person was asked to record a specific spoken phrase on their own smartphone via an app, up to six times a day for two weeks. Depending on the speed at which each individual spoke, those recordings were six to 10 seconds long. When 14 acoustic features of the resulting 18,465 recordings were analyzed, it was found that several of those features – such as pitch and intensity – differed in a consistent manner between the diabetic and non-diabetic participants. Although these differences couldn't be detected by the human ear, they could be picked up by signal processing software. This finding suggests that developing type 2 diabetes causes subtle changes in a person's voice. With that theory in mind, the scientists created an AI-based program that analyzes voice recordings along with patient information such as age, sex, height and weight. When tested on the volunteers, that program proved to be 89% accurate at identifying type 2 diabetic women and 86% accurate at spotting diabetic men. Those numbers should improve as the technology is refined. For reference, the team found that traditional fasting blood glucose tests were 85% accurate for both sexes, while glycated hemoglobin and oral glucose tolerance tests were 91% and 92% accurate, respectively. https://newatlas.com/medical/10-second-voice-test-type-2-diabetes/ XX Ultrasound may prove a new treatment for type 2 diabetes.. GE HealthCare Technologies is teaming up with Novo Nordisk on peripheral focused ultrasound, a new technology with potential to regulate metabolic function–without drugs, GE HealthCare said in a release. Early-stage clinical research suggests this type of ultrasound can affect diabetes patients' glucose metabolism by stimulating nerve pathways, the company said. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/ge-healthcare-teams-up-with-novo-nordisk-to-treat-diabetes-without-drugs-7b679c3e XX New research on diet and type 1 diabetes.. looking at plant based & moderate carb diets. I'll link up the full results but the upshot here is that portion control, moderate carb, and vegan all worked very well – when you've got a dietitian helping you make individual choices. The Vegan diet in particular is interesting, but it was not low carb – some people actually ate more carbs than usual – up to 300 a day – but the fat levels were very low. This group's insulin sensitivity went was up, and they lost on average 11 pounds. A1C decrease was about the same in all the groups. “It's important to have different types of diets that fit with different individuals https://diatribe.org/type-1-diabetes-new-studies-vegan-and-moderate-carbohydrate-diets-type-1-diabetes XX Improving health insurance coverage is not enough to address existing racial and ethnic disparities in glycemic control among US adults with diabetes. This was a large study by researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. A cross-sectional analysis of more than 4000 US adults with elevated HbA1c, results of the study suggest Hispanic or Latino and non-Hispanic Black individuals were more likely to have poor glycemic control relative to their non-Hispanic White counterparts despite access to care, with investigators noting social, health care, and behavioral or health factors did little to attenuate these apparent disparities. “Future studies should apply causal frameworks to evaluate the role of other structural barriers contributing to the high burden of poor control among insured Hispanic or Latino and non-Hispanic Black individuals to develop effective interventions,” investigators concluded.1 https://www.hcplive.com/view/racial-disparities-in-diabetes-management-go-beyond-insurance-status-study-finds XX Commercial – Edgepark XX A scientist who helped discover insulin a century ago has been honoured with a memorial in Aberdeen. John JR Macleod was awarded the Nobel prize for his part in the ground-breaking project – one of the most significant advancements in medical science. However, the physiologist's achievements were largely unknown. Now he has been celebrated in his home city with the unveiling of a new life-sized bronze sculpture. https://news.stv.tv/north/aberdeen-memorial-for-scientist-john-jr-macleod-who-co-discovered-insulin-unveiled-at-duthie-park XX If you watch the Food Network's Halloween Cookie Challenge – you can root for the diabetes mom. Chelsea Fullmer's son lives with type 1. The Food Network says she is a mother, entrepreneur, and passionate baker with her own Central Texas baking business, “Pink Lemon Cookies.” Tune in Monday evening https://shoptherock.com/round-rock-baker-rises-to-the-occasion-on-food-networks-halloween-cookie-challenge/?fbclid=IwAR3S8vA8JkbtUkVhjg1L6L9CFBIP4v_Nf-p9hWn0VUvFh5RHjDlIy8-YvYo -- Next week I'm talking to Ryan Reed, NASCAR Xfinity driver with type 1 about what got him back behind the wheel. And our last long format episode was all about Dexcom U and student athletes with T1D. Join us again soon!  

It's In the News, a look at the top stories and headlines from the diabetes community happening now. Top stories this week: lots of news from the EASD conference, including info from Dexcom, Vertex, and more, the ADA issues new guidelines for CGM use at school around caregivers' ability to follow, a new study says women should be screened at a younger age for type 2 diabetes, and congrats to Lauren Dahlin, who lives with type 1, for qualifying for the Ironman race in Hawaii. Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Take Control with Afrezza  Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX Lots of news out of EASD – the European Association for the Study of Diabetes happening this week. Including, a new trial finds that antiviral medications, when given soon after a child is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, might help preserve those vital beta cells. The team followed 96 children aged 6 to 15 who were all diagnosed with type 1 diabetes within three weeks prior to their enrollment in the study. The children were randomly selected to receive either the two antiviral medicines or a placebo for six months. After one year of follow-up, the researchers found that C-peptide levels remained "significantly higher" in kids who'd gotten the antiviral treatment compared to those who hadn't. That suggests the treatment helped shield the child's pancreatic beta cells from destruction. While C-peptide levels dropped a full 24% in children who received the placebo, it fell by just 11% in those who got the antivirals, the investigators found. On top of that, 86% of kids who'd gotten the antivirals still produced their own insulin at a level that makes treatment with supplementary insulin easier, the team said, and is also known to be linked to lowered risks for diabetes complications. The treatment appeared to be safe, with no severe side effects noted. According to Mynarek's team, their research supports the notion "that a low-grade persistent virus infection is an underlying disease mechanism, and that type 1 diabetes may be prevented by development of new vaccines." The researchers concluded that "further studies should be done at an earlier stage in the disease process, to evaluate whether antiviral treatment could delay the progression of beta-cell damage leading to clinical type 1 diabetes." https://consumer.healthday.com/type-1-diabetes-2665779376.html XX Also at EASD, an update on once a week insulin icodec for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. While several other studies have investigated once-weekly insulins in type 2 diabetes, this was the first data to be presented from a large-scale phase 3 study in type 1 diabetes. The study, ONWARDS 6, included 582 people with type 1 diabetes who received either insulin icodec or insulin degludec. Participants had an average age of 44 years and an average diabetes duration of 20 years. Both the icodec and degludec group received basal insulin in combination with mealtime insulin (insulin aspart, or NovoLog) over a period of 57 weeks. Overall, participants treated with once-weekly icodec and once-daily icodec had similar reductions in A1C of -0.5%, suggesting that this new insulin may offer another option for treating type 1 diabetes. What were the key findings? This study showed that insulin icodec was effective at reducing A1C in people with type 1 diabetes, although icodec did lead to higher rates of hypoglycemia compared to degludec. Researchers are still investigating some questions related to the hypoglycemia events that occurred in this trial, such as how the time of injection and exercise may affect hypoglycemia. https://diatribe.org/once-weekly-insulins-type-1-diabetes-latest-research-update XX XX Vertex Pharmaceuticals says a third type 1 patient no longer needs insulin after it's investigational stem cell-derived therapy VX-880, being assessed for type 1 diabetes. Two patients who had been followed for at least 12 months likewise met the study's endpoint of the elimination of serious hypoglycemic events (SHE) between 90 days and 12 months. Tuesday's results follow an earlier data drop in June 2023, detailing the first two patients that achieved insulin independence and met the study's primary endpoint. The first patient achieved insulin independence 270 days into treatment, lasting through month 24 of the follow-up. The patient had type 1 diabetes (T1D) for “nearly 42 years,” according to Vertex's announcement, and was taking 34 units of insulin daily. Insulin independence came on day 180 for the second patient, persisting through 12 months of follow-up. The patient had T1D for 19 years and was taking 45.1 units of exogenous insulin daily. This patient had to restart insulin treatment at month 15, though at a much lower daily dose of four units. The third patient stopped needing insulin at 180 days of treatment, which happened after the data cut-off, according to Vertex. Aside from insulin independence, the new data from the Phase I/II study showed that VX-880 induced islet cell engraftment in all participants in parts A and B of the study at 90 days. In turn, these patients are now capable of endogenous glucose-responsive insulin production and demonstrated better glycemic control across various measures, including HbA1c and time-in-range. Before receiving VX-880, all enrolled participants had long-standing T1D and showed no signs of endogenous insulin secretion and required 34.0 units of insulin per day on average, according to Vertex's announcement on Tuesday. All patients also had histories of recurrent severe hypoglycemic events. An investigational allogeneic stem cell-based therapeutic, VX-880 works by delivering fully differentiated and insulin-producing islet cells, in turn restoring the body's glucose-responsive insulin production capabilities and boosting glucose control. VX-880 is designed to be delivered via an infusion through the hepatic portal vein. Patients need to be on an immunosuppressive regimen to receive the candidate. Vertex's T1D program also includes VX-264, an investigational therapy that encapsulates stem cell-derived islet cells in a protective device to be implanted into the patients' bodies, according to the company's website. Because the device is designed to shield the therapeutic cells from the body's response, VX-264 is being studied without the use of immunosuppressive therapies. https://www.biospace.com/article/vertex-touts-promising-data-for-stem-cell-based-type-1-diabetes-treatment/ XX I mentioned Dexcom's presentation at EASD in our long format interview earlier this week.. One of the company's studies, for example, recruited insulin users in the U.K. to test out the Dexcom ONE device, which offers a more simplified interface compared to the company's flagship G-series sensors. Though both Type 1 and Type 2 patients joined the study, Dexcom specifically singled out its results in the Type 2 population: The group saw their average HbA1c levels drop from a baseline of just over 10% to 8.5% after three months, then down to 8.3% after another three months, according to a company release. The data marked the first real-world study conducted on the Dexcom ONE CGM, Leach said. Another study presented at the EASD conference this week verified the use of the G7 sensor in pregnant women with Type 1, Type 2 or gestational diabetes—making Dexcom's G6 and G7 devices the only commercially available CGMs backed by clinical data for use during pregnancy, the company said. That group makes up about 10% of all pregnancies, he said, and “whether you're on insulin therapy or not, just the benefit of having a Supported by those findings, Dexcom said in the release that it now plans to make the G7 sensor available for use with Tandem's t:slim X2 insulin pump in the U.S. and “multiple markets across Europe and Asia-Pacific” before the end of 2023. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/easd-dexcom-cgms-notch-wins-among-type-2-and-pregnant-users-and-7-year-real-world-data XX Metformin may lengthen the time until insulin initiation, lower fasting glucose and improve neonatal outcomes for pregnant women with gestational diabetes, according to data from a randomized trial. In findings presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting and simultaneously published in JAMA, researchers compared glycemic, maternal and neonatal outcomes for women with gestational diabetes randomly assigned up to 2,500 mg metformin daily with those receiving placebo. The metformin group had a lower mean fasting glucose at 32 and 38 weeks of gestation, and the offspring of women receiving metformin had a lower mean birth weight than the offspring of those receiving placebo. Metformin reduces the likelihood for large for gestational age among offspring of women with gestational diabetes. Infants from mothers in the metformin group had a lower mean birth weight than offspring of mothers from the placebo group (3,393 g vs. 3,506 g; P = .005). The percentage of infants born large for gestational age was lower in the metformin group vs. placebo (6.5% vs. 14.9%; P = .003). Mean crown-to-heel length was shorter in offspring of mothers from the metformin group compared with placebo (51 cm vs. 51.7 cm; P = .02). “Caution should continue with metformin and small for gestational age, especially in those where small for gestational age may be more likely, so those with hypertension or nephropathy,” Dunne said during the presentation. https://www.healio.com/news/endocrinology/20231004/metformin-provides-glycemic-neonatal-benefits-for-women-with-gestational-diabetes XX More voices are calling for more screening for type 1 diabetes. About 85% of people with type have no family history. Various research programs are going on worldwide to establish the best ways of implementing universal screening, including programs in Germany, the USA, Israel, the UK, and Australia. A new program (Edent1fi) has just been funded that will include multiple new European countries, including the UK, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Italy, and the Czech Republic. "These are all research programs. The next steps before universal screening for type 1 diabetes becomes general policy will require guidelines for monitoring and endorsement of screening and monitoring guidelines by applicable societies," explains Dr. Sims. This will also be helped by broader access to disease-modifying therapies to impact progression and the need to start insulin injections. Screening for adults, who can also develop T1D, is less well studied. Although optimal approaches have yet to be elucidated, this population will also likely benefit from identifying early-stage disease and the advantages of education, monitoring, and access to therapy. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20231003/Universal-screening-A-game-changer-in-early-detection-and-management-of-type-1-diabetes.aspx XX As I mentioned briefly in my last episode, one of the winners of this year's Nobel prize for medicine has lived with type 1 for almost 60 years. Dr. Drew Weissman and Katalin Karikó won the Nobel for their work on the COVID-19 vaccines received a Nobel Prize of Medicine. Karikó and Weissman met by chance in the 1990s while photocopying research papers, Karikó told The Associated Press. Weissman was diagnosed at age 5 and I'll link up a great interview that Mike Hoskins posted – he used to write for DiabetesMine. http://www.thediabeticscornerbooth.com/2021/02/we-can-thank-this-researcher-with-type.html?m=1&fbclid=IwAR254vGL8G0aU3uUnvfHbJa79WCiFgS8ihMgHMf0V2hK2QYJBLaa9zwMn7U XX Should women be screened for type 2 diabetes at a younger age than men? A recent study published in Diabetes Therapy explores this hypothesis – there's a lot here and I'll link it up, but they examine the theory that menstruation can throw off an A1C. Women with diabetes between 16-60 years of age have an increased mortality risk by about 27% as compared to diabetic men of the same age when both are compared to the general population. Women lose an average of 5.3 years from their lifespan with diabetes as compared to 4.5 years for men. The study comprised two cohorts. The first included over 146,000 individuals using a single HbA1c reading at or below 50 mmol/mol obtained between 2012 and 2019. The distribution was replicated using readings from a second cohort of about 940,000 people, whose samples were analyzed in six laboratories between 2019 and 2021. The mean HbA1c level in women at any given age corresponded to that observed in men up to ten years earlier. These findings were corroborated with data obtained from the second cohort. An undermeasurement of approximately 1.6 mmol/mol HbA1c in women may delay their diabetes diagnosis by up to ten years. Ten years in which they weren't being treated. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20231004/The-cut-off-for-HbA1c-based-diagnosis-of-diabetes-may-be-too-high-in-women.aspx XX Commercial – Edgepark XX XX Very recently, the Americans with Diabetes Association released updated CGM guidance for use in schools. The link to the new guidance is below. This came about after discussions with stakeholders, including myself and Attorney Roswig. Be clear, this was revised because of the discussions and “rallying” of families impacted, where in some cases schools were pointing to certain flaws in the language in the prior guidance. While this new guidance may address your CGM issue with your particular school, the new guidance, in our opinion, still needs work. Please know that this work will continue. If you have any more specific questions, please contact me and I will attempt to address the same. Thank you for your patience, thus far, and anticipated trust and patience going forward. https://diabetes.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/cgm-final-9-22-23.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1t4cpPUSmDoitWiH2hSgNnXWdeYQjPW4rlewjWkWHiOYWc65HX8ub74Yo XX have to show everyone and show myself that this doesn't change anything,” said Lauren Dahlin about her diagnosis with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at 26 years old in 2017. Today, she's a true athlete who has competed in nine Ironman races — consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run. Completed within about 14 hours! This past summer, Dahlin competed in the annual Ironman in Lake Placid, NY. The event came with a lot of pressure because placing within the top 24 racers meant qualifying for the biggest Ironman event of all: the World Championship in Kona, HI. She did it. Dahlin placed 9th amongst about 600 other female competitors — becoming one of the first women with T1D to qualify for the Ironman in Kona, HI. Happening next weekend Oct 14th Here's a closer look at Dahlin's journey from diagnosis to rockstar competitive athlete. Diagnosed just days before a potential DKA coma “I couldn't even walk half a flight of stairs without getting extremely winded because I was so far gone,” explains Dahlin of her pre-diagnosis symptoms. “The clinic gave me an inhaler for asthma and sent me home!” Dahlin saw six different providers before someone finally gave her the appropriate diagnosis. They even performed a full-blood panel workup and didn't diagnose her T1D. Eventually, Dahlin went to the emergency room in Boston, where she lived, and the staff told her she was experiencing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). She then spent ten days in the intensive care unit learning about her new life living with T1D. “I was bummed that the doctors hadn't caught my diagnosis earlier because there were a lot of clinical trials happening in Boston that I could have been a part of.” Regardless, Dahlin didn't want to slow down — within one month of her diagnosis, she signed up for her first half-marathon. https://t1dexchange.org/ironman-world-championship-type-1-diabetes/ XX That's In the News for this week.. if you like it, please share it! Thanks for joining me! See you back here soon.  

It's a special minisode with friend of the pod, Stacy Simms! Rob talks to Stacy, the diabetes mom that has got it going on about: * The transition of making the diabetes decisions for your child to letting them grow up and go off to college * Inception of Moms' Night Out o First started in Charlotte, NC with sometimes two people, sometimes 30 people, it varies. o Stacey planned it originally as a book launch, but it evolved into a place for moms to meet with Diabetes educators, industry, and technology companies. * Upcoming Moms' Night Out happening in Frisco, Texas with Rob Howe as a speaker, and educators from Intergrated Diabetes Services o Use code “diabeticsdoingthings” at registration for a big discount We want to hear from you. Send those questions, comments, queries, and general diabetes concerns to THE MAILBAG at mailbag@diabeticsdoingthings.com!

It's In the News, a look at the top stories and headlines from the diabetes community happening now. Top stories this week: a new CGM from Medtronic is approved in Europe, semaglutides for people newly diagnosed type 1 may make a huge difference, a look at Keto diet for kids, Apple teases non-invasive glucose monitoring and Dexcom U is back! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Take Control with Afrezza  Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Edgepark Medical Supplies Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX Our top this story this week a new CGM from Medtronic gets approval in Europe. It's called Simplera – an all in one disposable CGM– no fingersticks and no over-tape, which is new for Medtronic. Simplera is integrated with the InPen™ smart insulin pen, which provides real-time, personalized dosing guidance to help simplify diabetes management. Medtronic will begin a phased launch at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 59th Annual Meeting in Hamburg, Germany on Oct. 2-6, 2023. Simplera™ is indicated for ages 2+ and compatible with iOS and Android. Simplera™ is not approved by the FDA and is limited to investigational use in the U.S. Medtronic's automated insulin delivery (AID) system integrated with this next-generation sensor is currently under review for CE Mark and is not commercially available in the U.S. or in Europe. I've reached out to Medtronic – we'll learn more soon. https://news.medtronic.com/2023-09-21-Medtronic-Diabetes-announces-CE-Mark-for-new-Simplera-TM-CGM-with-disposable-all-in-one-design XX A small study and a long way to go here, but a weekly dose of semaglutide, helped seven out of 10 patients newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes stop taking insulin after three to six months. Semaglutide is the key ingredient in Ozempic.. approved for type 2 and Wegovy, approved for weight loss. It's also thought to tamp down the inflammation that can lead to the destruction of insulin-producing cells. He noted previous research has shown that patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes still have the ability to make some of their own insulin, so the team tested semaglutide in patients within three months of their diagnosis. All ten patients were taking meal time and long acting insulin. After three months, all of them came off meal time insulin, and seven stopped basal insulin. Much more study needed here.. interestingly. Ozempic's maker, Novo Nordisk noted it didn't sponsor this study and isn't pursuing trials of semaglutide for type 1 diabetes itself, https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/semaglutide-ozempic-wagovy-type-1-diabetes-insulin-study/ XX a widely used diabetes drug that controls blood sugar can also prevent muscle atrophy and muscular fibrosis—which can help the elderly bounce back faster from injury or illness. Researchers from the University of Utah Health have found that Metformin has surprising applications on a cellular level. Their findings were published in the journal Aging Cell. “We saw two things in our study,” Drummond says. “When participants took Metformin during a bed rest, they had less muscle atrophy. During the recovery period, their muscles also had less fibrosis or excessive collagen. That build-up can make it harder for the muscle to properly function.” https://scitechdaily.com/researchers-discover-surprising-side-effect-of-common-diabetes-drug/ XX Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) say they have created a device for people with type 1 diabetes that may help produce insulin when needed. Their findings were published on September 18 in The Proceeding of the National Academy of Science. The MIT engineers reported that the small implantable device could carry hundreds of thousands of insulin-producing islet cells. Previous devices made for the same purpose failed and stopped producing insulin because they ran out of oxygen needed to create the insulin. To combat this, the scientists created an oxygen factory on the device, allowing it to generate oxygen by splitting water vapor in the body. The researchers said the device could potentially replace insulin injections in people with type 1 diabetes. Dr. Caroline Messer, an endocrinologist at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, not involved in the study, explained to Medical News Today: “Currently, islet cell transplant is limited to patients with a history of severe metabolic complications and consistent failure of insulin-based therapies. Long-term success rates are low, and patients require lifelong immunosuppressive therapy. Conceptually, implantable islet cells that do not require immune suppression and create their own source of oxygen is nothing short of brilliant.” MIT researchers said the device kept glucose levels stable for at least one month when implanted into mice. The device has not yet been tested in humans. Researchers hope to create a larger version of the device and test it in people with type 1 diabetes. They expect this device to be about the size of a stick of chewing gum. “We are eager to see this technology translate, but it does take time,” said Dan Anderson, PhD, the study's lead author and a professor of chemistry at MIT. “We hope to see this technology in humans within at most four years.” Although the researchers remained focused on treating diabetes, they indicate this kind of device might be able to be adapted to treat other illnesses that require repeated delivery of therapeutic proteins. “This technology allows for an improvement in the current approach to implantation of units containing cells that produce insulin in response to blood glucose levels without requiring invasive surgery,” said Dr. Eliud Sifonte, an endocrinologist at NYU Langone Medical Associates, who was not involved in the study. “Historically, this approach has been difficult to maintain due to an inability to provide a good oxygen supply to those implanted cells,” Dr. Sifonte told MNT. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-a-new-device-may-help-with-insulin-production-for-type-1-diabetes XX Weight Watchers and Abbott announce their new app for people with diabetes. This is a WW app that integrates the use of a Freestyle Libre. The app helps people with diabetes understand how food and activity impact their glucose levels. WeightWatchers had a team of nutrition and behavioral science experts designed its tailored plan. It aims to help people with type 2 diabetes form helpful habits and meet their health goals. The plan has demonstrated success in helping people with diabetes lose weight and lower their HbA1c, the company said. https://www.massdevice.com/abbott-weightwatchers-unveil-connected-diabetes-app/ XX Italy celiac XX Keto and other low carbohydrate diets have gained popularity for type 2 diabetes in adults, but there are safety concerns for young people, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) cautioned. Restricting carbohydrates in young people at risk for or with diabetes raises concerns for growth deceleration, nutritional deficiencies, poor bone health, nutritional ketosis, and disordered eating behaviors, Tamara Hannon, MD, of Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, and colleagues on the AAP Committee on Nutrition wrote in a clinical report to guide care. Based on demonstrated risks, low- and very low-carbohydrate diets were not recommended for children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, "except under close diabetes care team supervision utilizing safety guidelines," the group wrote in Pediatricsopens in a new tab or window. Low-carb (

It's In the News, a look at the top stories and headlines from the diabetes community happening now. Top stories this week: Abbott acquires Bigfoot, a new study looks at low-dose aspirin to prevent type 2, researchers look into whether the AI ChatGPT can answer FAQs about diabetes, Beyond Type Run is back for the NYC Marathon, and more! Our previous episode with Bigfoot Biomedical: https://diabetes-connections.com/?s=bigfoot Join us for Moms' Night Out! (use promo code School30 to save) Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Take Control with Afrezza  Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Learn about Edgepark Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX Our top story this week – Abbott scoops up Bigfoot Biomedical. The deal is expected to close later this year – no financial terms yet disclosed. Abbott and Bigfoot have worked together since 2017 on a connected insulin pen system. Bigfoot Unity exclusively works with Abbott's FreeStyle Libre® Long time listeners will recall that Bigfoot was founded in 2015 around serving people with type 1 diabetes with a closed loop pump system that Byran Mazlish had developed for his wife and son. Mazlish was very secretive at first about the algorithm – this was before people were sure the FDA wouldn't crack down on them – so a journalist nicknamed him Bigfoot. Along the way, the company pivoted to CGM connected SmartPens. I believe Bigfoot was my third interview, back in 2015 – I'll ink up all of the interviews I've done with them in the show notes. https://diabetes-connections.com/?s=bigfoot https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/abbott-to-acquire-bigfoot-biomedical-furthering-efforts-to-develop-personalized-connected-solutions-for-people-with-diabetes-301918254.html XX Low-dose aspirin reduces the risk for type 2 diabetes among older adults and slows the increase in fasting glucose levels over time, new research finds. The data come from a secondary analysis of ASPREE, a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of healthy adults aged 65 years or older, showing that 100 mg of aspirin taken daily for about 5 years did not provide a cardiovascular benefit but did significantly raise the risk for bleeding. It's a big study, more than 16-thousand people. This new analysis shows that individuals taking aspirin had a 15% lower risk for developing type 2 diabetes and that the medication slowed the rate of increase in fasting plasma glucose, compared with placebo, during follow-up. However, lead author Sophia Zoungas, MBBS, PhD, head of the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, says, "Major prescribing guidelines now recommend older adults take daily aspirin only when there is a medical reason to do so, such as after a heart attack… Although these new findings are of interest, they do not change the clinical advice about aspirin use in older people at this time." https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/996058 XX A class-action lawsuit filed against Medtronic (NYSE: MDT)+ alleges that the company's insulin delivery devices shared patient data with third parties. The lawsuit — filed by the plaintiff “A.H.” in U.S. District Court in Central California — levels allegations against Medtronic and its MiniMed and InPen devices. It addresses MiniMed's transmission and disclosure of personally identifiable information and protected health information to Google and other third parties. Per the lawsuit, the data was transmitted via tracking and authentication technology, including Google Analytics, Crashlytics, Firebase Authentication and related tools. A.H. says these technologies, installed on the website and/or mobile applications, include the InPen iOS and Android applications. “Information about a person's health is among the most confidential and sensitive information in society, and its mishandling can have serious consequences, including embarrassment, discrimination, and denial of insurance coverage,” the lawsuit reads. A Medtronic spokesperson issued the following statement via email: We have strong processes, technologies, and people in place to safeguard and protect our information and systems, the information of our business partners, and most importantly, the privacy and safety of the patients and healthcare providers that use our products.” https://www.massdevice.com/lawsuit-patient-data-sharing-medtronic-diabetes/ XX Interesting new way to look at type 2 – not weight loss or medication, but about reducing how much blood glucose goes up and stays up after eating and drinking. University of Virginia Daniel Cox says this is called Glucose Everyday Matters, or GEM – aims to prevent blood sugar spikes via educated food and drink selection. This is coupled with physical activity to hasten recovery when blood-sugar spikes do occur. So someone might indulge in a piece of fruit or a small, sweet treat, knowing how it will affect them, and then go for an evening stroll to help even out their blood sugar. Sounds really simple, but in its first study, it helps almost 70-percent of people put their type 2 into remission without weight loss or medication. The National Institutes of Health has provided $3.5 million for a large-scale clinical trial Cox himself went from an A1C of 10.3 at the time of diagnoses to reading consistently under 6.0 for the past 13 years on no medication using his approach. https://newsroom.uvahealth.com/2023/08/31/radical-new-approach-to-managing-type-2-diabetes-receives-3-5-million/ XX Final preparations are in place to initiate the first clinical site for DIAGNODE-3 in the United States, and additional sites are expected to be initiated over the coming months. Approximately 10-12 clinical sites across the US are planned to be initiated, expanding the DIAGNODE-3 trial in the US and eight European countries to approximately 60 clincal sites in total. DIAGNODE-3 is designed to confirm the efficacy and safety of the antigen-specific immunotherapy Diamyd® in patients aged 12 to 29 years recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and carrying the genetic HLA DR3-DQ2 marker. Approximately 40% of all screened patients carry the genetic HLA DR3-DQ2 haplotype. This proportion aligns well with expectations based on previous Diamyd® clinical trials and published epidemiological research. Supported by published retrospective analyses and prospective clinical trials, the presence of the genetic HLA DR3-DQ2 haplotype determines the likelihood of responding to Diamyd® therapy, and serves as one of the main inclusion criteria in the DIAGNODE-3 trial. "Patient recruitment is a complex and central element in any trial and it is encouraging to see a significant and continuous uptick in the screening rate and that the observed frequency of the genetically defined responder group enrolled into DIAGNODE-3 confirms our previous observations", says Ulf Hannelius, President & CEO of Diamyd Medical. "This shows the operational and clinical feasibility of our precision medicine approach to Type 1 Diabetes and we look forward to expanding the trial to the United States". https://finance.yahoo.com/news/registrational-phase-iii-trial-type-142600082.html XX A low-carbohydrate diet during pregnancy may have some benefits in gestational diabetes, but overall, low-carbohydrate diets are not associated with any significant differences in outcomes. That was the conclusion of a presentation at the ADA Scientific Sessions. That was back in June but I just learned about it, so I'm passing along to you in case you missed it as well. During a debate at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions, Amy M. Valent, DO, MCR, associate professor in the division of maternal-fetal medicine in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Oregon Health & Science University, said identifying Teri L. Hernandez, PhD, RN, associate dean of research and scholarship in the College of Nursing and professor in the department of medicine and the division of endocrinology, metabolism and diabetes at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, agreed that the first line of therapy with gestational diabetes is nutrition. However, Hernandez said, low-carbohydrate diets are not the only approach in gestational diabetes treatment with nutrition. Currently, dietary advice for treating gestational diabetes is inconsistent, and current professional guidelines have limitations and biases, according to Valent. Different diet strategies include low-carbohydrate, low glycemic index and total energy restriction eating plans, according to Valent. Valent said ACOG guidelines recommended a low-carbohydrate diet for gestational diabetes until the most recently revised edition in January. Valent reviewed several major landmark studies demonstrating that gestational diabetes treatment can decrease pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and large for gestational age infants. “These studies were in the era where treatment of diabetes in pregnancy involved recommending a low-carbohydrate diet,” Valent said. “The concern with lowering carbohydrates is the risk of consuming lower nutrient-dense foods and resulting in the body to produce ketones, which may be associated with negative effects on the developing baby.” “Pregnancy is dynamic. Nobody's the same today as they were yesterday. They're going to be different 1, 2 or 3 weeks from now, and the nutritional demands and the fetal growth and development stage are going to be different,” Valent said. “So, nutritional demands are going to vary.” Hernandez also added that women and girls tend to be priced out of good nutritional patterns, which is an issue not only in the pregnancy field, but also in the global community. According to Hernandez, it is important to create ways moving forward to identify what nutritional patterns are best that are also affordable for families, especially in lower-income settings. https://www.healio.com/news/womens-health-ob-gyn/20230905/experts-debate-benefits-of-lowcarb-diets-for-gestational-diabetes XX XX Commercial – Edgepark XX Can ChatGPT help answer questions about diabetes? In a recent study published in the journal PLoS ONE, researchers tested chatGPT, a language model geared for discussion, to investigate whether it could answer frequently asked diabetes questions. In the present study, researchers evaluated ChatGPT's expertise in diabetes, especially the capacity to answer commonly requested questions related to diabetes in a similar manner as humans. The 'Frequently Asked Questions' section of the Diabetes Association of Denmark's website, viewed on 10 January 2023, included eight questions. The researchers designed the remaining questions to correlate to particular lines on the 'Knowledge Center for Diabetes website and a report on physical activity and diabetes mellitus type 1. Across the 10 questions, the proportion of correct responses ranged from 38% to 74%. Participants correctly identified ChatGPT-generated replies 60% of the time, which was over the non-inferiority threshold. Males and females had 64% and 58% chances of accurately recognizing the artificial intelligence-generated response, respectively. Individuals who had past contact with diabetes patients had a 61% chance of precisely answering the questions, compared to 57% for those who had no prior contact with diabetes patients. In contrast to the initial premise, participants could discern between ChatGPT-generated and human-written replies better than tossing a fair coin. While ChatGPT demonstrated some potential for accurately answering frequently asked questions, issues around misinformation and the lack of nuanced, personalized advice were evident. As large language models increasingly intersect with healthcare, rigorous studies are essential to evaluate their safety, efficacy, and ethical considerations in patient care, emphasizing the need for robust regulatory frameworks and continuous oversight. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230905/Can-ChatGPT-be-a-diabetes-consultant-Study-probes-the-potential-and-pitfalls.aspx XX SAN MATEO, Calif., Aug. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 5, diabetes nonprofit Beyond Type 1 will join more than 550 official charity partners and philanthropists raising awareness and funds while participating in the world's largest marathon, the TCS New York City Marathon. This year, the organization is expanding its 50-person team, Beyond Type Run, to include people living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, as well as caregivers to those living with diabetes. "Since 2017, we've featured more than 200 runners on our teams who've exemplified what it means to survive and thrive with diabetes," said Beyond Type 1 CEO Deborah Dugan. Beyond Type 1 announces the 2023 NYC Marathon team to raise awareness and funds for people living with diabetes As a part of the Beyond Type Run team, runners will be advocating to raise awareness and funds for Beyond Type 1's portfolio of educational resources, awareness campaigns and peer-to-peer support programs for people impacted by diabetes. This advocacy is elevated through the NYRR Official Charity Partner Program, which offers opportunities for nonprofit organizations to raise funds to support their missions and services. Dexcom and Tandem Diabetes Care are presenting sponsors of Beyond Type Run for a fourth consecutive year. The TCS New York City Marathon Official Charity Partner Program has raised more than $440 million for more than 1,000 nonprofit organizations since its establishment in 2006. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/team-of-50-individuals-impacted-by-diabetes-prepare-for-the-2023-tcs-new-york-city-marathon-301909163.html XX MNO update On the podcast next week.. tandem diabetes celebrity panel from friends for life – Hollywood, the NFL and NASCAR. Last week's episode was Benny off to college That's In the News for this week.. if you like it, please share it! Thanks for joining me! See you back here soon. ----  

It's In the News, a look at the top stories and headlines from the diabetes community happening now. Top stories this week: Amazon Pharmacy will automatically apply insulin coupons, a new study shows A1Cs are going down for people with T1D who have access to technology, pollution and gestational diabetes study and a wild study that looks at how a parasite might help prevent type 2. Don't miss Moms' Night Out!  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Take Control with Afrezza  Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Transcript:  Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now XX In the news is brought to you by Edgepark simplify your diabetes journey with Edgepark XX Amazon's online pharmacy will automatically apply manufacturer-sponsored coupons to more than 15 insulin and diabetes medicines to help patients access discounts pledged by the drug industry. With the new program, patients using Amazon Pharmacy will no longer have to search for and manually enter coupons from the three largest insulin makers, Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), Eli Lilly (LLY.N), and Sanofi (SASY.PA), to lower the cost of their insulin to as little as $35 for a month's supply, the company said. Novo, Lilly and Sanofi announced in March that they would slash their insulin prices by at least 70% by or in 2024, but many reports some patients were finding it difficult to get already discounted generic insulin from pharmacies at the promised lower price. Amazon Pharmacy will also automatically apply available discounts to diabetes-related medical devices from manufacturers Dexcom and Insulet, including continuous glucose monitors and pumps, as well as to other cardiometabolic medicines such as Novo's powerful weight-loss drug Wegovy. https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/amazon-pharmacy-automates-discounts-help-insulin-patients-get-pledged-prices-2023-08-15/ XX New study will look at Liver Targeted Insulin (LTI) in Type 1 diabetes.. Directing insulin action to the liver may help restore normal liver physiology for people with Type 1 diabetes, leading to better glucose control and overall health outcomes. Jeremy Pettus and a team of researchers are working to determine the mechanism of action and evaluate the safety profile of the Liver Targeted Insulin Pettus lives with type 1 and is an endocrinologist who is also the xx at TCOYD. “Living with Type 1 diabetes is extremely tough,” said Pettus. “One of the major barriers to helping patients with Type 1 diabetes achieve normal glucose levels is that injected insulin simply does not get to the ‘right' places. Normal insulin has its main effects in the liver, but patients with Type 1 diabetes must inject insulin into the fat tissue. Doing so makes the insulin act very slowly, can lead to weight gain and can cause deadly low blood sugars. This project seeks to attach a molecule to insulin that can help direct it to the liver. In doing so, much of the normal physiology may be restored and patients may get better results.” Pettus is working with the company Diasome to conduct a single center clinical study with 14 patients with Type 1 diabetes to test the safety, tolerability and effectiveness of the novel LTI. If this study finds that the LTI is active and preferentially targeting the liver, the findings could spur research and development efforts in the LTI space, leading to additional clinical trials and eventually a novel insulin available that could help improve clinical outcomes. https://today.ucsd.edu/story/2m-grant-drives-research-on-novel-insulin-in-type-1-diabetes XX Good news about A1c reduction in people with type 1.. but it's limited for those with access to technology. The new findings from a study involving patients at the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes Adult Clinic between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2021. They show that as technology use has increased, A1c levels have dropped in parallel. Moreover, progression from use of stand-alone continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) to automated insulin delivery systems (AIDs), which comprise insulin pumps and connected CGMs, furthered that progress. On the flip side, A1c levels rose significantly over the study period among nonusers of technology. "We cannot rule out provider bias for not prescribing diabetes technology among those with higher A1c or from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds," Karakus and colleagues write. Also of note, even with use of the most advanced AID systems available during the study period, just under half of patients were still not achieving A1c levels below 7%. "The technology helps, but it's not perfect," Shah observed. This study is the first to examine the relationship of A1c with technology use over time, in contrast to prior cross-sectional studies. "The intention here was to look at the landscape over a decade," Shah said. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/995738 XX Can a parasite help with type 2 diabetes? This is kind of gross but very true.. In the first clinical trial of its kind, a team led by scientists from James Cook University in Australia inoculated volunteers with human hookworm larvae (Necator americanus) to see if these parasites can improve their metabolic health. The two-year study included 24 participants, each of whom showed heightened insulin resistance at the start of the trial. By the end of the investigation, researchers found those who were infected with hookworms showed a significant reduction in their insulin resistance scores compared to those who were given a placebo. In recent decades, scientists have noticed that in places where parasitic worms are endemic, people report fewer metabolic and inflammatory diseases. I'm sure I don't have to say this – but more study is needed. No one is recommending you try to get a parasitic infection https://www.sciencealert.com/radical-trial-shows-hookworms-may-protect-people-from-type-2-diabetes XX https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/simple-blood-test-may-predict-future-heart-kidney-risk-for-people-with-type-2-diabetes XX Exposure to air pollution early in pregnancy—and even shortly before conception—increases a woman's risk of developing gestational diabetes, according to a new USC study out in The Lancet Regional Health—Americas. "Interestingly, we found gestational diabetes risk wasn't associated with long-term air pollution exposure but was associated with air pollution in a relatively short but critical periconceptional window, from five weeks before to five weeks after conception," said first author Zhongzheng "Jason" Niu, a postdoctoral fellow in population and public health science at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. The researchers also found the association between air pollution and gestational diabetes was more pronounced among study participants experiencing prenatal depression. The mechanism connecting ambient air pollution and gestational diabetes remains unclear, researchers say, but an interplay among impaired glucose metabolism, inflammation and hormonal changes could be to blame. Prenatal depression, with disrupted immune and hormonal functions, could make the case worse. https://news.usc.edu/209509/exposure-to-air-pollution-early-in-pregnancy-increases-risk-of-gestational-diabetes-study-finds/ XX Commercial – Edgepark XX A look at Tandem's bolus by phone feature shows it seems to be helping people with “low bolus frequency” give insulin more. Last year, the t:connect app was updated to allow people with the tslim x2 pump to initiate bolusing from a smart phone or the pump itself. This study looked at those who gave less than three boluses per day prior to the smartphone bolus update – the media number was 2.2. After the smartphone option, that number rose to 2.7. https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/QYVHSJUZKND8JJAKRUTG/full XX Great story from Diabetes Daily about two brothers with type 1 who are creating a low or almost no sugar beer. This is in Ireland and I don't know exactly how to explain it quickly.. “Normally, the reason that the beers have sugar in them – which is what will mess with your blood sugar levels – is that there are unfermentable sugars that remain in the beer, sugars that the yeast isn't able to convert into alcohol. It's just a byproduct of how you make it. But this enzyme glucoamylase actually breaks down these unfermentable sugars and makes them into fermentable sugars, so the yeast can convert all of the sugar into alcohol, and there will be no sugar left in the beer at all. Brut beers are usually done in a clean, bitter, highly fizzy IPA style, almost like a beery champagne, but Seán has tried the glucoamylase in other recipes as well. “Normally it's only a pale ale or IPA that people put this enzyme into. But I really like German wheat beers. So I decided I'd try and make a wheat beer with this enzyme as well.” “It did exactly what it was supposed to do. You end up with no sugar at the end, and a really tasty beer. So I've been doing it with a few others – a rye, and a Kolsch, and all the sugars completely ferment out.” “We've had some fun in naming them as well. The first one, the IPA style, we call it Insulin, because it keeps the levels down. The wheat that I like to make we have now called Diawheaties.” And his non-diabetic friends approve: “Everyone seems to like it. They tend to be quite nice, easy-drinking beers. We wouldn't make them just for the zero sugar if they were no good. They're as good as the normal beers.” https://www.diabetesdaily.com/blog/how-two-irish-brothers-with-type-1-diabetes-brew-their-own-zero-sugar-beer-689869/ XX MNO update On the podcast next week.. tandem diabetes celebrity panel from friends for life – Hollywood, the NFL and NASCAR. Last week's episode was Benny off to college That's In the News for this week.. if you like it, please share it! Thanks for joining me! See you back here soon.  

It's In the News, a look at the top stories and headlines from the diabetes community happening now. Top stories this week: a new pilot program will allow some pharmacists to prescribe CGMs, Georgia becomes the latest state to pass a law securing Glucagon for schools, new info about COVID-19 and new cases of T1D, insulin pump infusion set and skin reaction study, does kombucha tea lower blood glucose and more! Moms' Night Out early bird specials will end soon for Texas and Rhode Island!  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Take Control with Afrezza  Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Find out more about Edgepark Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Transcription: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now XX In the news is brought to you by AG1. AG1 helps you build your health, foundation first. XX New pilot program to allow pharmacists to prescribe CGMs. This comes from the American Pharmacists Association Foundation, with support from Helmsley Charitable Trust. While many patients with diabetes may not even have access to a primary care physician, the average person interacts with their community pharmacist 12x more often than their primary care provider. The program will launch in 20 community pharmacy practices across the U.S. There will be a 90-day enrollment period followed by 12 months of monitoring and management https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230720044367/en/The-APhA-Foundation-launches-patient-enrollment-for-a-program-to-expand-access-to-pharmacist-provided-continuous-glucose-monitoring-CGM-devices-and-services XX We told you recently about Mobi's approval, that's Tandem's tiny pump, billed as the world's smallest durable automated insulin delivery system. Convatec Group now saying they've partnered with Tandem on a new five-inch infusion set for the Mobi. Not a lot more information than that, but interesting because while Convatec makes infusion sets for just about every tubed pump, last year, Tandem acquired another infusion set developer, Capillary Biomedical. https://www.outsourcing-pharma.com/Article/2023/07/18/Convatec-to-manufacture-new-infusion-set-for-Tandem-Diabetes-Care XX New law in Georgia to make sure all schools have emergency glucagon on hand and that it can be used for any student. House Bill 440 took effect on July 1, 2023. It will allow public and private schools in Georgia to acquire and keep a supply of glucagon. It allows prescribers to provide standing orders or prescriptions for ready-to-use glucagon to schools so that this medication can be rapidly administered to students in an emergency. Schools will also be able to work directly with glucagon manufacturers or third-party suppliers to obtain the products for free or at fair market or reduced prices. In 2018 a school nurse in Illinois used another students glucagon on a different study having an emergency, breaking the law. It's since been changed in Indiana and now, in Georgia. Disclaimer: the state rep who sponsored this bill, Doug Stoner is married to my dear friend Trip Stoner who lives with type 1. https://www.thegeorgiavirtue.com/georgia-legislature/georgia-bill-to-help-schools-treat-hypoglycemic-emergencies-becomes-law/ XX I think most of us know this but good to see research on it. A new study shows skin reactions at insulin pump infusion sites are common among people with type 1 diabetes who use the devices and can lead to delivery failure. researchers at the University of Washington, in Seattle, used biopsies and noninvasive imaging to compare insulin pump sites with control sites in 30 patients. They found Several differences were found at pump sites in comparison with control sites, including fibrosis, inflammation, eosinophils, a disease-fighting white blood cell which indicated an allergic reaction here. The inflammatory response, they say, "may result in tissue changes responsible for the infusion site failures seen frequently in clinical practice." Nearly all patients (93.3%) reported itchiness at the site, and 76.7% reported skin redness. While the researchers think preservatives in the insulin or the makeup of the infusion sets are probably to blame, they admit they don't really understand it fully yet. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/995068 XX Very large new study seems to confirm that the COVID-19 pandemic precipitated a jump in cases of type 1 diabetes in children and teenagers. This study pooled data from 17 previous studies and looked at 38-thousand people under the age of 19. They found the incidence of type 1 was about 14-percent higher during 2020, the first year of the pandemic, than in the previous year. The incidence rose higher still in the second year of the pandemic, up 27% from 2019. Before COVID-19, the incidence of type 1 diabetes in children was rising at a steady rate of around 2–4% a year. The meta-analysis did reaffirm that children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes tended to present with more severe forms of disease during the pandemic than before. The incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially life-threatening complication of new-onset type 1 diabetes, rose by 26% from 2019 to 2020, probably because people were hesitant or unable to seek emergency care when early symptoms appeared. It's still unclear what triggered the sudden increase in diabetes and how long the trend might persist. It's also important to keep in mind that a few researchers have spoken out that they believe the increase sounds implausible. And that Studies from Finland7, Scotland8 and Denmark9 could not directly link coronavirus infections to the increase in type 1 diabetes. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02322-0 XX Commercial – AG1 XX New research shows the best time to predict childhood type 1 diabetes is ages 2-6, when screening detects 80-percent of future cases. Research shows screening children ages 2-6 best predicts childhood type 1 diabetes, successfully detecting 80% of future cases. Early screening also leads to more timely treatment, better health outcomes, and less diabetes distress. These researchers reviewed findings that screened 90-thousand children under the age of 6 and 32-thousand children under 18. These researchers emphasized the need to work towards the adoption of universal screening at the state government, payer, and healthcare provider levels. https://diatribe.org/early-diabetes-screening-kids-can-improve-quality-life XX Very small pilot study suggesting that kombucha reduces blood glucose levels in adults with type 2. I'm including this because you'll likely hear a lot about it.. but keep in mind, the sample size was too small for statistical significance. A total of 12 participants with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to consume 240 mL of either a kombucha product or placebo daily with dinner for 4 weeks. They then waited 8 weeks and switched to the other product for another 4 weeks. Kombucha significantly lowered average fasting blood glucose – on average from 164 to 116. Kombucha tea is a fermented drink made with tea, sugar, bacteria and yeast. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/995035 XX Afon, a Welsh based company, is working on a non-invasive glucose sensor that has the potential to revolutionize the way blood glucose levels are monitored. We've heard these types of promises before, but are yet to see something materialise into a real-world product. With the development of optical sensors in the early 2010s, the concept of using technology to monitor glucose levels in a non-invasive manner was first brought up. Light is used by these sensors to obtain signals from beneath the skin. For several years, there has been discussion about incorporating such technology for glucose monitoring by smartwatches. Afon adopts an entirely different approach. Its blood glucose sensor is called Glucowear. It is an RF sensor that fits under the base of the wrist. The gizmo uses radio frequencies to obtain signals from beneath the skin. Unlike optical sensors this technology provides real-time monitoring with no time lag. Hoping for a 2024 launch date The company stated that they hope to have the device on the market by early 2024. This is an extremely optimistic goal given the stringent requirements imposed by health regulators. There is no information available on how well Afon is progressing with regulatory approval, and the company's website makes no mention of the regulatory process. So far the Afon Blood Glucose Sensor has undergone three rounds of testing at Profil, a world-renowned diabetes research center in Germany. A multi-phase trial of this technology will be conducted at Swansea University's Joint Clinical Research Facility (JCRF) later in 2023. There will also be other multi-site trials before the device hits retail in 2024. Glucowear delivers real-time continuous glucose monitoring through its wireless integration with a smart device. Designed to be placed under a user's smartwatch, the sensor allows the said device to serve as an integral part of the monitoring system. Afon promotes the Glucowear as a comfortable wearable and ensures that the painless CGM has a battery lifespan of up to 14 days when fully charged. https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2023/07/24/afon-blood-glucose-sensor/ XX https://www.medpagetoday.com/popmedicine/cultureclinic/105707 XX On the podcast next week.. talking to Justin, better known as DiabeTech, who was diagnosed with T1D by TikTok! Last week I talked to the author of Sweeite! That's In the News for this week.. if you like it, please share it! Thanks for joining me! See you back here soon.  

Sarah shares conversations with Neil Greathouse, Stacey Simms, and her son Felix about living with diabetes and what we can learn from it.TOPICS DISCUSSEDNeil Greathouse on the Cost of InsulinStacey Simms on Parenting a Diabetic ChildFelix Holland on Diabetes CampVisit our website for complete show notes and episode resources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's In the News, a look at the top stories and headlines from the diabetes community happening now. Top stories this week: a new insulin pump gets FDA approval, once-weekly basal insulin for type 2 gets through another trial, New Jersey caps insulin prices for some, possible link between ability to chew and glucose control, a landmark diabetes study moves on to aging and T1D, JDRF Children's Congress and more! Learn about Moms' Night Out - a new event for moms of children with diabetes Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Take Control with Afrezza  Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures Learn more about AG1 from Athletic Greens  Drive research that matters through the T1D Exchange The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com   Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now XX In the news is brought to you by AG1. AG1 helps you build your health, foundation first. XX Our top story, Tandem's Mobi Pump is approved. The FDA cleared the tiny pump for people with diabetes ages six and up. Tandem says mobie is fully controllable from a mobile app and is the world's smallest durable AID system. It still has a button on the pump to dose and holds 200 units. You use the same infusion set as the current Tandem pumps and Mobi uses Control IQ. Limited release planned for late this year and fully available early 2024. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/fda-clears-tandem-mobi-automated-insulin-pump/ XX Learning more about a newly approved therapy for type 1 diabetes called Lantidra. Two safety and efficacy studies found that 21 participants who took Lantidra did not need to administer themselves insulin for a year or more. Twelve of those participants did not need to take insulin for up to 5 years, and 9 did not need insulin for over 5 years. Lantidra is an allogeneic (donor) pancreatic islet cellular therapy. In other words, Lantidra uses cells taken — or isolated — from human organ donor pancreases. “In [a] subsequent process, the insulin-producing islets are purified from the rest of the pancreatic tissue using a density gradient. Once the islets are isolated, purified, and put for a short time in cell culture, the cell preparation is infused into the liver of the recipient,” he explained. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/fda-approves-first-cellular-therapy-for-type-1-diabetes-what-does-it-do#How-does-islet-cellular-therapy-work? XX Once weekly basal insulin for type 2 gets through another trial. After 26 weeks of treatment and five weeks of follow-up, patients on weekly insulin icodec had significantly larger improvements in their HbA1C than those using daily insulin. Both groups had an extremely low rate of adverse events. These researches say next step is FDA evaluation. https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/articles/year-2023/july-weekly-insulin-found-safe.html XX That's the idea behind Fractyl Health's treatment for type 2 diabetes—which could also be used for weight control. The Lexington, Massachusetts-based biotech company is in the early stages of developing a one-time gene therapy intended to lower blood sugar and body weight using the same mechanism as semaglutide. “You have this problem where you need to stay on therapy for efficacy,” says Harith Rajagopalan, a cardiologist by training and CEO and cofounder of Fractyl Health. “That's the Achilles heel.” The company wants to deliver an artificial gene to the pancreas that continuously produces the GLP-1 hormone so there's no need for weekly injections. The approach, called gene therapy, uses inactivated viruses to carry a therapeutic gene to pancreatic cells. (Viruses are used because of their natural ability to deliver genetic material to cells.) The company is aiming to begin an initial human trial by the end of 2024 https://www.wired.com/story/a-one-time-shot-for-type-2-diabetes-a-biotech-company-is-on-it/ XX Gov. Phil Murphy signed three bills into law Monday aimed at cutting the high cost of prescription drugs in New Jersey. The new laws will cap how much residents will pay for some popular medications such as insulin, prevent pharmacy benefit managers from engaging in practices that make drugs more expensive, and create a panel that will monitor prices set by pharmaceutical companies. One measure (S1614) would cap the cost of insulin, epinephrine auto-injector devices and asthma inhalers for state and local public workers enrolled in the State Health Benefits Program, the School Employees' Health Benefits Program and other state-regulated plans. For a 30-day supply, insulin will cost $35, EpiPens $25 and asthma inhalers would be capped at $50, according to the bill. The law takes effect next year. https://www.nj.com/politics/2023/07/new-laws-to-stem-high-cost-of-prescription-drugs-in-nj-were-just-signed-by-gov-murphy.html XX The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Tuesday it has extended its probe into Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO) diabetes drugs Ozempic and weight-loss treatment Saxenda, following two reports of suicidal thoughts, to include other drugs in the same class. The agency began its review on July 3 after Iceland's health regulator flagged the reports of patients thinking about suicide and one case of thoughts of self harm after use of Novo's drugs. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/eu-extends-ozempic-probe-include-other-drugs-2023-07-11/ XX We often hear that diabetes can lead to problems with your teeth.. but one researcher says it might be the other way around. A University at Buffalo researchers says there is a notable correlation between chewing functionality and blood glucose levels in people with type 2. Specifically, he found that patients with T2D who maintain a full chewing ability exhibit significantly lower blood glucose levels compared to those with compromised chewing function. The thinking here is that chewing stimulates the body in all sorts of ways, including releasing hormones that help you feel fuller and help in digestion. More studies are expected. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284319 https://scitechdaily.com/the-surprising-connection-between-chewing-and-type-2-diabetes/ XX The next step of the landmark Diabetes Control and Complications Trial will focus on aging with type 1 diabetes. The original randomized DCCT clinical trial results, published September 30, 1993, in the New England Journal of Medicine, proved that early intensive glycemic control was the key to preventing or slowing the progression of long-term eye, kidney, and nerve complications of type 1 diabetes. Subsequently, EDIC has yielded many more major findings including that early tight glycemic control also reduces cardiovascular risk and prolongs survival in type 1 diabetes. subsequent EDIC data also have suggested that it is never too late to initiate intensive glycemic control Together, DCCT and EDIC — both funded by the National Institutes of Health at 27 sites in the United States and Canada — have changed the standard of care for people with type 1 diabetes Prior to the DCCT, between 1930 and 1970, about a third of people with type 1 diabetes developed vision loss and one in five experienced kidney failure and/or myocardial infarction. Stroke and amputation were also common, DCCT/EDIC chair David M. Nathan, MD, said while introducing the symposium. "All of the advances in care of type 1 diabetes have developed because this study demonstrated that it was important — continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), new insulins, better [insulin] pumps…I think the most profound finding is that mortality in our intensively treated cohort is the same as in the general population. That says it all," Nathan told Medscape Medical News. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/994221 XX Commercial – AG1 XX Today, JDRF, the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization, urged members of the Senate Appropriations Committee to renew the Special Diabetes Program (SDP) and support policies to ensure insulin is available at an affordable and predictable price. Opened by U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and led by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the hearing took place during the 2023 JDRF Children's Congress, a biennial event that brings over 160 kids and teens living with T1D face-to-face with lawmakers and top decision-makers. The youth delegates traveled to Washington, D.C. from across the country and JDRF's international affiliates in the United Kingdom, Australia, the Netherlands, and Canada. The SDP has accelerated the pace of T1D research through a long-term investment of funding at the National Institutes of Health. The program has led to significant scientific breakthroughs, including Tzield, the first disease-modifying treatment for T1D, which can delay the onset of the disease by over two years. Without Congressional action, the SDP will expire at the end of September. "The Special Diabetes Program has fundamentally changed what it means to live with diabetes, put new life-changing therapies in our hands, and brought us closer to cures," said Aaron Kowalski, Ph.D., JDRF CEO. "We must keep this momentum going so we can capitalize on the progress to date and realize cures. However, until we have cures, people need access to affordable insulin. JDRF urges Congress to pass the bipartisan INSULIN Act of 2023, which will establish a $35 per month insulin copay cap for people with commercial insurance and includes other provisions that would make insulin more affordable for everyone, regardless of insurance status." Dr. Kowalski was joined at the hearing by Dr. Griffin Rodgers, Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, who provided testimony on the scientific value of the SDP, and Jimmy Jam, award-winning producer, songwriter, musician, member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and T1D parent. "My son Max, who is now in his twenties, was just two years old when he was first diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Late nights working on music became late nights working on music and waking up my son to test and manage his blood sugar levels," said Jimmy Jam. "Type 1 diabetes should be one of those things we can all agree on. Diabetes doesn't care if you're a Democrat or a Republican. We can all agree that there should be research to improve the lives of those with diabetes. We can all agree that insulin should be affordable for all who need it." Two 2023 JDRF Children's Congress delegates shared their T1D experience with the committee: Maria Muayad: 10-year-old Maria is from Maine and is a member of her school's civil rights club and math challenge group. Every November, Maria, and her mother, Golsin, give blue ribbons to the staff at her school in honor of National Diabetes Awareness Month. Elise Cataldo: 15-year-old Elise lives in New Hampshire and is passionate about educating those around her about life with T1D and tries to use things like pump site changes and blood sugar checks as opportunities to help others learn. Following the hearing, the 2023 JDRF Children's Congress delegates continued their advocacy by meeting with lawmakers in their Capitol Hill offices. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2023-jdrf-childrens-congress-delegates-urge-lawmakers-to-support-type-1-diabetes-research-and-access-to-affordable-insulin-301874927.htmlXX XX A 23-year-old with type 1 diabetes has broken the record for circumnavigating Britain in a kayak after paddling 2,000 miles in 40 days. Dougal Glaisher beat the previous record by 27 days. Glaisher was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 19 shortly after winning the Oban Sea Kayak race in Scotland, when he had blurred vision and struggled to recover his energy. The expedition was to raise money for the UK-based charity Action4Diabetes and Glaisher livestreamed his blood sugar On Tuesday he was well stocked with a bunch of bananas and a stash of cereal bars lashed to his boat. But in remote areas it was more challenging. Around the islands off Scotland he ran out of freeze-dried meals and survived on porridge for several days. He also sourced drinking water from streams. . It is the first time anyone has used a surfski – a kayak that you sit on top of – to paddle around the country. XX On the podcast next week.. I sat down with Dexcom's new Chief Commercial officer to talk about their announcements from this week about the type 2 market and other features important to people with type 1. Our last epoisde is all about Kickass Healthy LADA That's In the News for this week.. if you like it, please share it! Thanks for joining me! See you back here soon.