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diaTribe is offering you the chance to win a year's worth of blood glucose test strips
Courtesy of Mark Yarchoan
diaTribe Free Strip Promotion
Enter our Blood Glucose Test Strip Giveaway to have a chance of winning a grand prize of one year's worth of OneTouch Ultra test strips (based on about 5 strips per day). That's 18 boxes each containing 100 OneTouch test strips. There are also 18 runner up prizes, each consisting of a box of 100 OneTouch Ultra test strips, and you will have a chance to win any of these 19 prizes. That's a lot of strips!
The giveaway runs between August 3, 2008, and August 31, 2008. To enter, visit:
When you enter the competition you will be given a chance to refer others to diaTribe. We hope that you will help us share diaTribe with anyone you know who might benefit from accurate, up-to-date information about new developments in diabetes. And, if they sign up during the month of August, they'll have a chance to win the free strips too!
The Medtronic Paradigm insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor
One small step for the Artificial Pancreas, one large step for Medtronic
Yet another breakthrough in the battle against hypoglycemia and hypoglycemia unawareness! Medtronic, using a new sensor algorithm, has developed a “low-glucose suspend” (LGS) feature for its existing Paradigm insulin pump and continuous glucose monitoring system. The new technology automatically halts insulin delivery when your glucose falls below a preset threshold, reducing the risk of severe hypoglycemia. If your low alarm goes off and you don’t respond, the pump will automatically stop giving insulin for two hours, hopefully giving you time to treat your blood sugar without being pushed lower and lower by excess insulin.
This new technology has just finished a small initial test in the UK, and all reports are that Medtronic is going full steam ahead. All of us here at diaTribe are excited about this new development, as we think it represents an important step closer to an artificial pancreas. This technology could be the first example of a machine making automated treatment decisions for a patient, which is what closed-loop systems are all about. We are fairly confident that it will get FDA approval quickly. Our rationale? Since this feature involves suspending insulin delivery instead of giving insulin, it presents far less of a danger to people with diabetes than a malfunctioning closed-loop might. Even so, we can’t be certain of when this feature will become available in the US, but we would guess that it might be as early as 2010.
JDRF Children's Congress - Great for people under 18!
Held every other year since 1999, the JDRF’s Children’s Congress brings together about 150 children with type 1 diabetes (ages 4-17) to educate policy-makers about the need for federal funding of diabetes research. This event is held in Washington, DC, and next year, will take place from June 21-24, 2009. The application deadline is 5 p.m. EDT on October 6, 2008. You may either apply online or download an application from the site and mail it in. Email childrenscongress@jdrf.org or visit www.cc.jdrf.org to find out more. This is quite the opportunity for a young one to see Washington and the inner workings of our legislative system up close – and the chance of a lifetime to inspire lawmakers. JDRF is funding some truly inspiring research – we recommend everyone apply who can!
The Intel Health Guide unit
Courtesy of Intel Corp
A preview of the upcoming Intel Health Guide
From Intel Corp. comes a new device to add to your diabetes care toolbox - and it might even help to organize all of your tools. The Intel Health Guide, coming out at the end of 2008 or the beginning of 2009, is essentially a mini-computer station where you can download and manage data from your blood glucose meters, CGMs, and pumps. You will be able to view data on the Health Guide’s screen and send it to your health care provider via a wired internet connection. It looks like your doctor may even be able to videoconference with you through the device! This means that you and your PCP will be talking more often, which could translate into better control and peace of mind for you. Other interactive tools include multimedia educational content, vital sign collection, and patient reminders. However, several important details about the Guide remain unclear: we couldn’t find out which devices will be compatible or how much the system will cost. We’re keeping an eye out, though, and we’ll be sure to let you know when Intel releases more details. Visit http://www.intel.com/healthcare/telehealth/ to learn more.