Hope on the Horizon
As a result of unrelenting support by politicians and advocacy groups, the US Food and Drug Administration issued introductory recommendations to finally helping the initiative to develop the first ``artificial pancreas``. The FDA has received recent backlash from groups such as the JDRF (formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) as well as the American Diabetes Association (ASA) which accused the administration of being overly cautious and preventing life-saving technology from reaching patients who were in time-sensitive situations.
The LGS systems` artificial pancreas, which has now been approved for development and is currently getting clinical trials underway here in the States, consists of an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) connected to a sensor placed under the skin of a patient with Type I diabetes. Thanks to its sophisticated software, the system automatically doses the right amount of insulin based on the patient's glucose levels. An ultimate form of the system called ``treat-to-target`` would set a desired level for blood glucose and attempt to maintain it at all times, as opposed to merely staving off highs and lows in a ``treat-to-range`` approach.
For more information, talk to your endocrinologist and please visit:www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/DeviceRegulationandGuidance/GuidanceDocuments/ucm281706.htm