NewNowNext September/October, 2007

Image courtesy of Biosector2

Update on the Changing Diabetes Bus

We wrote about the bus in Issue 5 of diaTribe when we saw it at the ADA meeting in Chicago. We crossed paths with it again when we were at the EASD conference in Amsterdam and in Berlin during ISPAD. We learned that it was just coming from Baltimore and will proceed to the U.K. and Ireland and be in New York City in time for World Diabetes Day. The goal is not only to spread awareness but to carry out diabetes/prediabetes screenings as well. Over 16,000 people have already been screened on the tour, and the bus has had over 73,000 visitors, as of the end of September. Check it out.

Patton Medical Devices I-port

Image courtesy of Patton Medical Devices

A smart innovation, the I-Port acts as an insulin delivery channel directly through subcutaneous tissue. Once the I-port is applied, you can then use a needle or insulin pen to deliver insulin or Symlin or Byetta without the need for new shots to the skin. The needle stays above the skin and the I-port delivers through a small channel. A single patch can take 75 injections and can be worn for 72 hours. It is also small enough to be hidden under clothing and pledges to limit bruising and increase compliance to injection therapy. The I-port is available by prescription. Patton Medical also provides demos and information.

Cube up your food

Here's a potentially elegant little invention that might make portion control easier: food storage trays with pre-sized cubes to help you measure, freeze and store your food in precise amounts and keep track of exactly how much you're putting into a meal you're cooking or how much you're eating. The 32-ounce trays are available individually or in a set of three, with cubes divided into two-cup, one-cup or half-cup portions. We see this as innovative, yet simple. It could be very helpful in carb counting by improving the accuracy the age-old tradition of SWAGing (scientific wild-ass guessing) the number of carbs in a portion.