NHS to pilot artificial pancreas for type 1 diabetes
pharmafile | June 17, 2021 | News story | | NHS, diabetes, insulin, technology, wearable technology
The NHS has announced that artificial pancreases will be available to patients with type 1 diabetes, with up to 1,000 people set to benefit from a pilot of the new closed loop technology.
The artificial pancreas will continually monitor a patients’ blood glucose levels and automatically adjust the amount of insulin given through a pump. The novel technology can eliminate finger prick tests and prevent life-threatening hypoglycaemic attacks.
Sir Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England, said: “Living with diabetes is a daily challenge for millions of people across England, and this closed loop technology has the potential to make a remarkable difference to their lives.
“In a year that marks a century since insulin was discovered – which revolutionised the world of diabetes – this innovation is a prime example of the NHS’s continued progress in modern medicine and technology.”
Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) such as Abbott’s Freestyle Libre can be worn on the skin, and allow patients to track levels using a smartphone app. Medtronic has also developed a closed-loop system – the MiniMed 640G – which was launched in the UK in 2015 for use alongside a CGM.
Data from the study will feed into an appraisal of closed-loop systems for type 1 diabetics NICE announced back in April, and will is assess whether the technology should be routinely available via the NHS. A decision is expected in early 2022.
The launch of the artificial pancreas comes as part of the NHS’ Long Term Plan goal on non-invasive glucose monitoring, wherein the NHS committed to making non-invasive glucose monitoring technology available to 20% of diabetics and all pregnant women with type 1 diabetes.
Professor Partha Kar, NHS national speciality advisor for diabetes, said: “One hundred years after the discovery of insulin, the ‘artificial pancreas’ is a potentially revolutionary development in the treatment of diabetes.
“We have already outperformed the goals in the NHS Long Term Plan for better diabetes care, and this new technology is an extension of the fantastic work achieved by the NHS, third sector and industry partners who are working together to improve the lives of patients.”
Hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery systems automatically balance blood sugar levels by constantly measuring glucose and delivering insulin directly to the bloodstream when needed. Not only does this offer better glucose control and significantly reduce the risk of hypoglycaemia, it can also relieve some of the mental burden on patients and caregivers, who otherwise must remain constantly vigilant to blood sugar levels.
Up to 1,000 patients from around 25 specialist diabetes centres in England will benefit from the pilot programme. Participating centres will submit data via the NHS’s world-leading National Diabetes Audit and the results will feed into the evidence assessment undertaken by NICE.
Kat Jenkins
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