Aaron Kowalski: If you think about the epidemic of diabetes in the United States, 30 million people with diabetes, upwards of 3 million people with type 1 diabetes. It’s a huge problem.
Aaron Kowalski, of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in the U.S., is working to develop an artificial pancreas. People with type 1 diabetes don’t have a normal functioning pancreas to regulate blood sugar levels with insulin.
Aaron Kowalski: Ideally, what we’re trying to do is replicate what the pancreas does. Beta cells in the pancreas sense glucose levels, they sense the glucose levels changing and they secrete the right amount of insulin at the right time.
Kowalski said his artificial pancreas works with a cell-phone sized insulin pump – a small patch on the skin that continuously monitors glucose levels – and computer software that communicates glucose levels to the insulin pump.
Aaron Kowalski: The machine can be aware at all times. Obviously when you’re sleeping, it’s very difficult, if not impossible, to monitor your blood glucose levels. If you have a machine doing it, it could restore much better glucose control, reduce the risk for complications.
Kowalski said people might not see the burden of daily diabetes management.
Aaron Kowalski: Managing diabetes is a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week grind that’s hard on people and their families. All of these technologies bode well for making people with diabetes healthier and making their lives easier.
Kowalski expects to see the artificial pancreas leave clinical trials and be offered to diabetic patients in the next few years.
Aaron Kowalski: We will have solutions in next few years that will be mechanical that will dramatically reduce the risk of diabetic complications and dramatically make life significantly easier. What we’ll evolve towards is biomechanical approaches, such as beta cell regeneration and diabetes vaccination.
He explained that the artificial pancreas is a very important step forward in reducing some of that burden on the individuals, on the family, on the healthcare system and moving science forward.
Aaron Kowalski: We can dramatically make life healthier and easier for people with diabetes. I hope this is a near term success story of collaborative science, outstanding minds making a big impact that’s going to be felt by millions and millions of people.
WILL THE COMMON MAN BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT. DIABETES 1 IS NOT JUST A STRUGGLE TO KEEP IN BALANCE BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS, IT’S ALSO VERY EXPENSIVE.
If you think about it, 4 major companies,and a slew of scientists, working to service a market of 3 million people, just doesn’t make fiscal sense. Thank God for JDRF and the grants it makes to researchers to do this kind of work.
Yes, the initial cost of getting a pump and/or constant glucose monitor can seem pretty big. And, a couple of hundred dollars a month for supplies is a pain.
But when compared with the costs associated with being a one legged, impotent, blind man, it’s an inconvenience I’m more than willing to live with.
I refer to the saying – health is wealth. It’s the reason I’ve always considered bucking for the best technology available.
Could this also open the doors for Pancreatic cancer patients where they could have their pancreas remove and this replace it?
@Ken – since the technology is not yet on the market, I’m not sure what the cost of the artificial pancreas will be. But you’re right – insulin pumps are pricey especially if you don’t have insurance.
@TomK. The pump has been primarily targeted for diabetics. I’m unaware of it’s feasibility for Pancreatic cancer patients. You can read about current treatment options here:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/pancreas/page11
Ok,,heres one for ya,I am a MEN1 patient,I have had 85% of my pancreas removed,I live with constant management of my insulin levels and yes,,,without medicaid and some very generous doctors,,I wouldn’t be just broke,,,I’d probably be dead.It would seem though,that information,such as this,is something I am responsible for,because I don’t get this kind of information from my staff of doctors.My question is:why don’t I get informed about these advancements from my doctors.Surely they could get the information,if I can,why isn’t this given to me as an option?
Hi there Arthur,
I’m guessing that because this technology is so recent and it’s not “on the market” or available to the general public is the reason why your doctors are not talking to you about it. It’s not an option for you…yet. Hopefully this will be released beyond trials to be available to you and me.
That being said, it is the responsibility of patients in my opinion, to stay informed and aware of the changing landscape of healthcare options. JDRF does a great job of staying current with their research and options available.
http://www.jdrf.org
Best of luck,
Hilary
hi
Isuffered from diabetes depend in insulin since 20 years ago.
Ihope get the price of artificial pencreas.
thanks
hayder mansur
Kufa/Najaf/Iraq
17/8/2010
I have been using an Animus pump for over 4 years and Dexcom CGM periodically over the past several years. The equipment and supplies are very expensive, but I would gladly give up many of my expensive habits to enjoy the benefits of these tools to better control my blood glucose levels. I have anxiously been waiting release of the CGM integration to the Animus pump and will definitely come up with the money it takes to upgrade to this or the Artificial Pancreas, plus the expensive supplies it will require. My health is worth the expense and I feel fortunate to live in a time that such great advances are being made for the treatment of diabetes.