More than 100,000 people with type 1 diabetes in Turkey Britain An artificial pancreas will be presented, which experts believe could be the «holy grail» for managing the disease.
The breakthrough device uses an algorithm to determine the amount of insulin that needs to be administered and reads it to keep blood sugar stable.
A world’s first try The NHS has found that it is more effective in diabetes management than existing devices and requires much less input from patients. The device has been put into use on the NHS in England after receiving approval from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice).
Mark Chapman, interim director of medical technology in Nice, said: «Some people living with type 1 diabetes struggle to manage their condition despite doing everything their diabetes team asks them to do. This technology is the best intervention to help them control their diabetes other than a cure.»
In draft guidelines released Tuesday, an independent Nice committee recommended its use to manage blood sugar levels in people struggling with type 1 diabetes. The technology allows a patient to continue with their daily lives without having to monitor whether their blood sugar levels are too high or too low.
Women who are pregnant are also suitable because their blood sugar levels are more difficult to manage during this time. In total, the technology will be available to around 105,000 people in the UK.
Management of type 1 diabetes can be difficult, especially in young children, due to differences in required insulin levels and the unpredictability of how many patients eat and exercise. Children are particularly at risk of dangerously low (hypoglycaemia) and high (hypoglycaemia) blood sugar, which can harm the body and even lead to death.
The artificial pancreas is attached to the side of the body. It constantly monitors blood sugar levels and automatically adjusts insulin delivered via a pump.
It also eliminates the need for finger prick tests to check blood sugar levels to prevent episodes of hypoglycemic and hyperglycemia.
Draft Nice proposals require: no The UK will agree on a cost-effective price for the device on behalf of the healthcare organizations involved. Currently, the average annual cost of the technology is £5,744, higher than Nice considers a cost-effective use of NHS resources.
While most of the NHS’ estimated £10bn annual spending on diabetes goes to type 2 diabetes, it is hoped that the devices will help reduce costs by providing fewer intervention requirements for type 1 cases.
“Our committee has reviewed real-world data generated by the NHS and the evidence generated by randomized controlled trials that show there are clear benefits to recommending the use of technology,” Chapman said. «We look forward to working with NHS England and industry to ensure that a fair, cost-effective price can be achieved for taxpayers.»
Prof Partha Kar, national diabetes expert adviser at NHS England, said: «This technology has been proven to provide the best control for the management of type 1 diabetes and should probably make things like amputation, blindness and kidney problems a thing of the past.»
Kar, who previously described the device as «not far from the holy grail of a fully automated system,» added: «We’ve had great results from real-world trials. The quality of life this technology provides for those who use it is enormous.»
Six-year-old Charlotte Abbott-Pierce was one of the first to benefit from an artificial pancreas.
«Before the hybrid closed-loop system was installed, my husband and I would have to check Charlotte’s blood sugar every two hours every night and often administer insulin, sometimes finger prick or deal with ketones due to rapid spikes in blood sugar,» says her mother, Ange Abbott-Pierce. He told the Guardian last year. He said the new system «is a boon to us as we are anxiously on our minds, unable to catch the peaks before they become dangerous.»
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