MIT Is Working On An All-In-One Approach To Diabetes Treatment (engadget.com) 36
MIT, Brigham, and Women's Hospital researchers are working to eliminate many of the headaches associated with treating diabetes. According to Engadget, "They're developing all-in-one devices that measure glucose, calculate the necessary insulin dose and inject you accordingly." From the report: The first device includes the blood-drawing lancet, glucose test strips and an insulin needle. Users would first take a photo of their meal using a smartphone app to estimate the food volume and carbohydrate levels. After that, they'd start the automated process of collecting blood, calculating glucose (again through the app) and delivering the appropriate amount of insulin. The second gadget would only need one needle jab -- it would build the glucose sensor into the insulin needle and inject the appropriate amount of insulin. You'd have to wait five to ten seconds, but you wouldn't have to stick yourself twice.
The technology is still some ways off. While the first device would use parts that were already FDA-approved, it hasn't been tested in humans. The second, meanwhile, uses a new sensor type that will likely require more work to be testable with humans. Scientists have filed patents for both devices and are hoping to work with companies on further development. There's a strong motivation to bring these devices to market, at least. People with diabetes would only need to use one device at meals, and with the hybrid sensor/needle might suffer less pain. That, in turn, could encourage consistent treatment that improves your overall wellbeing.
The technology is still some ways off. While the first device would use parts that were already FDA-approved, it hasn't been tested in humans. The second, meanwhile, uses a new sensor type that will likely require more work to be testable with humans. Scientists have filed patents for both devices and are hoping to work with companies on further development. There's a strong motivation to bring these devices to market, at least. People with diabetes would only need to use one device at meals, and with the hybrid sensor/needle might suffer less pain. That, in turn, could encourage consistent treatment that improves your overall wellbeing.
Insulin pumps exist (Score:4, Informative)
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Agreed.
I’ve been on OpenAPS for 6 years now, and it revolutionized my life. The FDA is starting to catch up, but my home brew system is still better than what’s coming out next.
This seems like a step backwards.
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That's the elephant in the room. The garage hackers beat them all to the punch in a big way. Without additional patents, without a 10,000% mark-up. They'd have done it sooner but they had to hack out the protocols on the devices for themselves first.
Diabetes treatment: (Score:1)
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Don't eat a crap American diet? How about that for a treatment?
That only helps against Type 2 diabetes, the cause of Type 1 diabetes is still unknown.
Re: Diabetes treatment: (Score:1)
A low carb diet is still pretty important in treating type 1 diabetes.
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Don't eat a crap American diet? How about that for a treatment?
That works for type 2 diabetes, and these are usually treated with pills like metformin or SGLT2 inhibitors, not insulin (unless really advanced), much less insulin pumps. Most people on insulin pumps are type 1, and while eating a healthy diet is good for everyone, it won't take them off their pumps.
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While your solution will work for people who developed diabetes 2 from eating a "crap American diet", it will not work for other causes of Type 2 diabetes.
Other diseases cause Diabetes Type 2 that are not a result of a "crap American diet".
Familial dysfunction can cause Diabetes Type 2. Up look up ACE or ACES.
Other drug/sRxs can cause Diabetes Type 2.
Western medicine can cause Diabetes Type 2 --> that is, their lowering of thresholds causes many people
Doesn't look like they are fixing the cause (Score:1)
Treating the symptoms instead of fixing the cause. Forget about all that, just work on a EBV or Cytomegalovirus cure.
https://www.researchgate.net/p... [researchgate.net]
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Treating the symptoms instead of fixing the cause. Forget about all that, just work on a EBV or Cytomegalovirus cure.
https://www.researchgate.net/p... [researchgate.net]
Yeah, turns out, especially in these days, that curing viral diseases isn't as easy as we'd like it to be. So, let's at least learn how to manage the damage in the meantime.
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It's much more profitable for the pharma industry to treat the symptoms. Disease prevention is not good for their bottom line.
I get all my blood sugar measurements (Score:4, Funny)
from Theranos Edison machines. It's great to dose my insulin. Also, it makes the bathroom smell sweet when I pee, which saves on air freshener.
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Nothing new (Score:3)
I’m sorry, what? A device that uses finger pricks and strips? Maybe this is news for America, but in a lot of other countries basic blood glucose monitors, such as the Freestyle, are paid for by social security. So most diabetics using insulin haven’t used finger pricks in years.
And a glucose monitor on the needle itself? Doesn’t seem at all practical.
The only thing of any interest in this, and even that’s been attempted before, is the AI that can count carbs on a plate. We already have closed loop systems with several new ones in their final phases of testing.
It’s astonishing to see such backwards tech come out of MIT. I can only assume it has to do with the lack of proper social security over there that.
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The farce about hearing aids has nothing to do with being digital or not. Rather a device that costs ten dollars was locked up into unnecessary system robbing people of $1K - 6K including expensive custom fitting... thank goodness cheap devices, $20 and less, that have simple fitting and perform better acoustically are now available. What a horrible rip-off, the perpetrators of the traditional hearing aids should be roasted alive.
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All of the continuous sensors require calibration finger sticks. The better the design, the longer the sensor can be worn and the less the number of calibration sticks. I've been dealing with this since the home blood glucose tests were invented, and my child is also a Type 1 diabetic, None of the continuous sensors are accurate until calibrated, and their results tend to drift throughout their use, they can be dangerous indeed without calibration.
No they don’t. The modern sensors require no calibration. In fact you can’t calibrate them. And they’re accurate. Research papier: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.go... [nih.gov]
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You seem to be ignorant of some facts about the Freestyle system.
It also takes strips, and will indicate to user when prick and test strip is needed, and there are several conditions where that is necessary, some medical but including when using its internal dose calculator. So, an accurate restatement of their motto would be "you can do without lances, except sometimes when you need to"
So, I realize you just wanted to rag on the USA but pick better topic.
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I’m sorry, but I’ve been using the FreeStyle sensors for 4 years and not once has it ever asked for a test strip. Nor has anyone I know that uses them. So I’m guessing you’re the one who is misinformed. And accusing people of ragging on the USA when I’m simply pointing out that this is very odd research that makes no sense whatsoever. And the only way it can make sense is if it’s because people over there can’t afford continuous monitors (but then how would they be
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then you are using the system incorrectly, since the strips are more accurate and needed in certain situations. I'd suggest you study on the proper use of the system in their documentation and change your ways before disaster strikes as you get older.
Strips are more accurate, and needed along with Freestyle, end of story.
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They're trying to solve a problem, but not the one people want solved. The "problem" is that garage hackers have invented a closed loop system between a continuous glucose monitor, an insulin pump, and a processor (usually a smart phone). Effectively, an artificial pancreas. They did it without filing for patents and they don't gouge consumers for half their income. This must be stopped!!! How are executives supposed to afford their winter yachts that way?
They need something patented and marked up to insane
triad (Score:2)
MIT, Brigham, and Women's Hospital researchers
How great that scientists from all THREE institutions are involved!
Fix insulin prices first (Score:2)
As usual the USA is getting raped for healthcare costs. https://www.rand.org/blog/rand... [rand.org]
In instances it's cheaper to fly round trip to Europe for insulin than buying it out of pocket domestically.
CGM + insulin pump is better. (Score:3)
There are already existing solutions that are much better than this that do not require a daily insulin injection and prick to measure glucose. I am talking about a G6 continuous glucose monitor combined with a Tandem insulin pump. That seems like a far better solution than what this article is on about.
There's one flaw in the concept (Score:2)
"Users would first take a photo of their meal using a smartphone app to estimate the food volume"
Everyone knows that the camera adds ten pounds so it follows that it will make the food look bigger too.
One needle won't work (Score:2)
Appreciation (Score:1)