EHFG 2024- Navigating the Shifting Sands of Health
From September 24 – 27, 2024, the European Health Forum Gastein (EHFG) will host a crucial gathering of health advocates, policymakers, and thought leaders, both in Gastein and online. The forum’s theme, “Shifting Sands of Health – Democracy, Demographics, Digitalisation,” highlights the pressing challenges and transformative opportunities shaping Europe’s health landscape. The health community faces […]
Time Constraints in Diabetes Care: A Growing Crisis in Europe
A report published by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) highlights a critical issue in diabetes care across Europe: the insufficient consultation time that people with diabetes receive from General Practitioners (GPs). This significant barrier is increasingly linked to poorer health outcomes, contributing to higher rates of complications and rising healthcare costs. […]
French Move Could Help Others
In France, the Fédération Française des Diabetiques said it “welcomes the inclusion of Omnipod 5” on its list of reimbursable products and services. Omnipod 5, an insulin patch pump, delivers automated management for type 1 diabetes. France’s Haute Autorité de Santé — the country’s high health authority — issued an indication for the system to […]
Disparities in Access to Insulin Pumps in Scotland
There is a critical situation regarding access to insulin pump technology for people with diabetes in Scotland. According to reports, the health board in Lothian has limited pump availability to children and pregnant women only. People with diabetes who rely on pumps for managing their condition may face challenges if they are unable to access […]
GDAN Launch – Here to Help You
On Friday, 8 March, at the Advanced Technologies and Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD) conference in Florence, Italy, GDAN was launched. In front of nearly 70 healthcare professionals, industry stakeholders and diabetes advocates, plus many more online, the joint initiative of the Diabetes Leadership Council (DLC) and PDGN welcomed a panel of parliamentarians and people with […]
Finland Lifts T1 Military Ban
Numerous countries enact protective measures against employment discrimination for individuals with diabetes. However, within specific professions, notably military roles, nations maintain comprehensive bans on service for such individuals. This policy arises from concerns surrounding operational readiness, physical fitness, and the challenges related to insulin management during training, critical operations, and wartime scenarios, considering factors like […]
War Zone Access to Insulin
A petition was raised by people from the diabetes community worldwide to ensure uninterrupted access to insulin in conflict zones and during humanitarian crises, such as Ukraine, Gaza, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. “Insulin represents survival, and access to it safeguards the human rights to health and life,” claimed Nathalie Piat, a member of this […]
Major T1D Step Forward in UK
Described as an artificial pancreas, which it is not, a hybrid closed loop system is worn externally to continually monitor a person’s blood glucose then automatically adjust the amount of insulin given to them through a pump. Within England local National Health Service (NHS) systems will start identifying eligible people living with T1D who health chiefs […]
EU Drug Shortages
The French national health authority is calling for EU countries to make joint purchases of drugs to address possible future shortages across the 27 Member States. The call came in a Senate hearing into drug shortages with the suggestion that the EU’s recently established health emergency response agency (HERA) could bulk purchase medicines in advance […]
Tech News
FDA Clears New Insulin Pump and Algorithm-Based Software to Support Enhanced Automatic Insulin Delivery – Closer to a bionic pancreas. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fda-clears-new-insulin-pump-and-algorithm-based-software-to-support-enhanced-automatic-insulin-delivery-301829765.html Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre R 2 received national reimbursement in France for all people with diabetes treated with insulin. https://abbott.mediaroom.com/2023-06-22-Abbotts-FreeStyle-Libre-R-2-Receives-National-Reimbursement-in-France-for-All-People-with-Diabetes-Who-Use-Insulin Dexcom G7 Approved in Canada Patients living with diabetes in Canada will soon be able […]
Call for Debate on Diabetes Care
Shropshire Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan has asked the government to allow MPs time for a debate on NHS care for diabetes. This comes after the publication of a report by Diabetes UK showing Shropshire to have the worst care for diabetes patients in the country, with only 25 percent of all patients in the […]
Diabetes Tech Can’t Wait
A call on NHS Highland (Scotland) to “go further and faster” in providing life-changing diabetes technology has been made by Jamie Stone MP (Liberal Democrat). The Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross MP is backing a nationwide “Diabetes Tech Can’t Wait” campaign. He attended an event in parliament hosted by Diabetes UK and Diabetes Scotland and […]
Obesity Debate
Speaking at the first-ever debate on preventing obesity and fatty liver disease in the UK Parliament, London Ealing Southall MP, Virendra Sharma (Labour) said: “[It] is a public health emergency. Liver disease mortality rates are outpacing those for other major conditions, such as diabetes or respiratory conditions.” In addition to fatty liver disease, obesity can […]
Diabetes is Serious Campaign Launch
Chris Green (Conservative) – the MP for Bolton West and Atherton, attended the “Diabetes is Serious” campaign launch in the House of Commons, which included a report revealing how there were 7,000 excess deaths involving the condition last year. Mr Green (left) said: “I was delighted to attend a Diabetes UK Reception to raise awareness […]
EU Effort to Reduce Medicine Costs
In search of more affordable medicines, the European Commission has proposed increase competition and to make generic and bio-similar medicines more readily available across the European Union. The use of generic and substitution drugs is well established in some EU countries, but not others and range from nearly 70 percent in Italy to under 20 […]
Italy 1st to Introduce T1 Screening for Children
The Italian government has become the first to introduce a National Paediatric Screening Law for type 1 diabetes. Introduced by the Vice-President of the Chamber of Deputies, Giorgio Mulè, the law was approved in the Health Commission. It is hoped the screening will help prevent children aged 1 to 17 most likely to be diagnosed […]
Type 1 Screening Studies Discussed
A three person panel discussed diabetes screening programs in their different countries. Anette-Gabriele Ziegler, MD, Professor and Director of the Institute of Diabetes Research at Helmholtz Center Munich revealed the findings from a screening programme looking for early stages of type 1 diabetes. It found around 80 percent of children and adolescents who develop type […]
Diabetes UK – New Chief Executive
Diabetes UK has appointed Colette Marshall as its new head following the departure of Chris Askew after eight years to take on the role of Chief Executive at the Royal College of General Practitioners. Ms Marshall, pictured right, has been Director of Services, Volunteering and Local Impact at Diabetes UK since 2013. Following her appointment […]
Drug Shortages in Bulgaria
The most sought-after and missing drugs in the Bulgarian pharmacy network are those related to diabetes, which forced the authorities in Sofia to tighten control by introducing a mandatory electronic prescription from a doctor. The aim is to reduce the off-label use of diabetes drugs, which in the last few years have been increasingly popular as weight loss remedies. […]
Could ‘Zoo Poo’ Help Treat Foot Ulcers?
Researchers from the University of Sheffield, UK, have found that viruses found in the poo of endangered animals could be used to treat diabetic foot ulcers. If successful it could save the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) £1 billion a year. Naturally occurring viruses in the poo – known as bacteriophage or phages – could […]
T1 Screening Reaches N.Ireland
Funded by Diabetes UK and JDRF, ELSA (Early Surveillance for Autoimmune diabetes) was first launched in England, Scotland and Wales in November 2022. The study aims to recruit 20,000 children, aged 3-13 years, to assess their risk of developing T1D through at-home finger-prick blood tests. Home testing kits are now available to families throughout Northern Ireland. Around […]
Sign the Pledge
The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries’ (Efpia) and European Diabetes Forum (EUDF), have published a document calling on candidates at the 2024 European Election to sign and pledge to support its contents. Around 60 percent of all European citizens come under the European Union and will have a vote in the elections. With the exception […]
Italy First to Introduce T1 Screening
The Italian Parliament has passed a law to make it possible, from 2024, to prevent the occurrence of the most dangerous complications, such as diabetic ketoacidosis, in Italian children between 1 and 17 years old, who are destined to develop type 1 diabetes. The law was celebrated at the October ISPAD annual conference in Rotterdam. […]
PDGN in Liverpool
PDGN Secretary General, Adrian Sanders, attended the Diabetes UK Professional Conference in Liverpool where new research was presented that has pinpointed five unique combinations of genes that either help protect people living with obesity and overweight from developing type 2 diabetes, or increase their risk. There were sessions on the issues facing the care of […]
Research News
India Study in India finds socioeconomic inequality in awareness, treatment and control of diabetes among adults. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-29978-y Australia JDRF Australia and the Helmsley Trust have announced a combined additional AUS $12 million towards the continuation of the Environmental Determinants of Islet Autoimmunity (ENDIA) study. https://www.miragenews.com/world-first-childhood-diabetes-study-extended-980714 Denmark A new study published in Diabetologia (the journal of the […]
MPS’ Joint Action
A number of UK Members of Parliament from across the political divide have signed a letter warning that health and social care businesses are facing unprecedented pressures as a result of the pandemic, inflation and the effects of leaving the European Union. The signees call on the Government to protect healthcare supply chains, including a […]
News in Brief
Real Time CGM Recommended for some type 2 Children In the UK, hundreds of children with type 2 diabetes will be offered the choice of two life changing technologies. Children with type 2 diabetes who currently manage their condition with the ‘burdensome’, ‘tiring’, and ‘stressful’ task of finger prick testing several times a day could […]
UK Closer to One in Ten People with Diabetes
Analysis by Diabetes UK has shown the numbers of people living with diabetes in the United Kingdom has topped five million for the first time. The patient advocacy charity is calling on the UK Government to ensure that national and local health care systems put diabetes at the heart of their plans. Diabetes UK want […]
Nutrition News: Is the Mediterranean Diet Best?
An article in USA Today thinks so, although it does recognise that there is no such thing as one diet for the peoples who live around the giant in-land Mediterranean Sea. With twenty-one countries whose shores are lapped by the Med there is a diverse range of foods consumed. But as the article points out […]
More News From Around the World: Amputation Action
Malta is a country with a population of just over half a million, yet each year around 500 full foot amputations take place. This startling statistic comes from professors Alfred Gatt and Cynthia Formosa in the Department of Podiatry at the University of Malta. They are leading a project, titled ‘The Smart Insole Technology for […]
Research Corner
A Diabetes Link to Dementia https://www.timesnownews.com/health/diabetics-beware-study-says-high-blood-sugar-levels-could-give-you-dementia-article-92318905 Role of Socioeconomic Status in Amputation Rates with Comorbid PVD and Diabetes https://www.thecardiologyadvisor.com/home/topics/vascular-medicine/role-of-socioeconomic-status-amputation-rates-with-comorbid-pvd-and-diabetes Potential target for Type 1 diabetes treatment https://www.miragenews.com/potentia l-target-for-type-1-diabetes-treatment-824142/ Japanese Study Finds Health Benefits in Muscle Strengthening https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/56/13/755 Children with type 1 diabetes and their family members are at increased risk of mental health problems. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220801/Study-Children-with-type-1-diabetes-and-their-family-members-are-at-increased-risk-of-mental-health-problems.aspx […]
MP Raising Money for Diabetes
James Duddridge, UK MP for Rochford and Southend East, has announced he will run this year’s iconic 26.2-mile race on behalf of Diabetes UK. Each year, Duddridge runs the London Marathon for a different charity. He was was diagnosed with diabetes about five years ago. He takes insulin to manage the condition and monitors his blood glucose […]
More News in Brief: UK Parliamentary Enquiry Launched
Sir George Howarth MP and former Prime Minister Rt. Hon Theresa May MP have launched a new inquiry into eating disorders in type 1 diabetes. Several evidence sessions are currently taking place, with the eventual aim to set out ambitious recommendations to ensure the NHS and healthcare system is better equipped to tackle the complexities […]
More News from Around the World
Put People at Heart of Diabetes Services A briefing by the UK based National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has called for people to be put at the heart of diabetes services. The report brings together a collection of research from the past couple of years which illustrates how taking account of individuals’ needs, differences and wishes […]
More News from Around the World: CGM on Prescription in UK
The Dexcom ONE real-time Continuous Glucose Monitoring (rt-CGM) System is now available to be prescribed across the United Kingdom. The decision follows new guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) which recommends adults with type 1 diabetes should be offered a choice of glucose sensor, children should be offered rt-CGM and […]
Social Prescribing Pilots
GPs in parts of England will start prescribing walking and cycling in a trial to help improve mental and physical well-being and tackle health disparities across the UK. The trial runs until 2025 and marks an acceptance that it is not only health budgets that can improve people’s well-being, but a holistic approach across government […]
Europe Chair
Following the recent general-election in Malta the re-elected Government is resisting calls from the opposition to reinstate a sub-committee of the parliament focussed on diabetes. PDGN European Chair, Claudette Buttigieg MP, was one the key influencers who campaigned for its creation in the last Parliament and re-elected, she has joined the fight to reinstate it. […]
Research News
USA – Screening for diabetes earlier could reduce racial and ethnic disparities in diagnosis, study finds. https://www.phillyvoice.com/diabetes-screening-racial-ethnic-disparities-asian-hispanic-black-diagnosis-study USA – Investigators from the Pediatric Diabetes Center at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone investigated outcomes disparities as they related to diabetes technology use among youth living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). https://www.ajmc.com/view/there-is-more-to-blame-than-tech-for-t1d-outcomes-disparities-investigators-argue Germany – Research suggests […]
Whey Protein and type 2
A UK Newcastle University study suggests Whey protein supplements may help people with Type 2 diabetes. Whey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a by-product of the manufacturing of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Whey protein contains and incredible range of essential amino acids. Consuming […]
Maltese Ombudsman Ruling
An Ombudsman ruling found that free glucose monitors should be given to people of all ages. The Health Ombudsman’s ruling stated that limiting the supply of free Continuous Glucose Monitor by age is discriminatory. Advocacy Action: Do you have an Ombudsman system or final arbiter mechanism who could investigate and make findings after other avenues […]
More News in Brief: Event Attracts Media Attention
A very successful event was held by Members of Parliament in the UK who invited constituents with diabetes to enter an art exhibition with entries displayed at the House of Commons. The event generated a great deal of media attention for both the exhibitors and for their Members of Parliament. It formed part of a […]
More News In Brief
Diabetic Retinopathy in 30% of Italian Patients At a meeting during the XI National Conference of the AMD Foundation held in Rome, Graziano Di Cianni, president of the Association of Diabetic Doctors in Italy (ADDI) raised concerns that 30 percent of patients with diabetes are also affected by diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is a serious […]
United Kingdom
Mary Kelly Foy, MP for the UK City of Durham, has thrown her support behind a new campaign by local primary care doctors, Dr Paul Baker and Dr Amanda Porch, to cut the cost of diabetes care for the National Health Service (NHS). The MP whose seat is in the North-East of England, has a […]
COVID Deaths and Diabetes
People with diabetes were almost twice as likely to die with COVID-19 and nearly three times as likely to be critically of severely ill compared to those without the disease, according to a study. Researchers from the University of Aberdeen in the UK reviewed data from hundreds of thousands of people from all over the […]
New member, Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, writes exclusively for Global Advocacy Diabetes
We were just 10 days away from the General Election when my GP gave me the shocking diagnosis that I had Type 1 diabetes. I was told that my ketones – the chemical that can build up in diabetes – were “off the Richter scale”, and I needed to be admitted to hospital straight away. […]
Research News in Brief
Gap widens between US and European HbAic* averages Mean HbA1c for people with type 1 diabetes increased in the U.S. from 2011 to 2017, whereas Europe reported a decline among children, according to study data. *By measuring glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in the blood, average blood sugar levels can be calculated. https://www.healio.com/news/endocrinology/20220107/gap-in-mean-hba1c-values-growing-between-us-european-nations High blood pressure and […]
France Asked to Act on Rising Veg Prices
The French Association of Rural Families has published a report showing a sharp increase in fruit and vegetable prices from 2019-2021. The Association is calling for the Government to give subsidies to poorer households to allow them to eat nutritious food. https://www.thelocal.fr/20220121/call-for-fruit-and-veg-grants-as-food-prices-rise-in-france
More Brief News: Depression and Diabetes Support
‘HelloBetter’, a German organisation focused on digital therapy courses, has announced the release of a new online programme that is a reimbursable digital health application (DiGA) for German doctors and patients. The digital therapy course targets people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes who suffer from depression. According to ‘HelloBetter’ founder Dr David Ebert, Professor of Psychology and Digital Mental Health […]
Affordable Screening for Children
It only takes a blood test to detect the autoimmune disease type 1 diabetes in children at an early stage and, thus, prevent severe metabolic derailments. A research team from Helmholtz Munich and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now calculated that introducing screening into standard care would probably cost the health care system […]
Refugee Project Launched
Even before the crisis in Ukraine there were record numbers of refugees around the world. The World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) has called for an holistic approach to meeting the health needs of displaced peoples. The WDF’s mission is to alleviate human suffering related to diabetes among those in greatest need. With record numbers of people […]