Type 1 Diabetes: ‘Artificial Pancreas’ Tech Could Be Offered Free In England

New technology could offer more than 100,000 people in England and Wales with type one diabetes a “huge” boost in quality of life.

A national cost-effectiveness body has recommended “hybrid closed loop systems” for people finding it hard to manage their condition. This means the technology could soon be available for free for many under the country’s National Health Service.

Considered a step towards a fully-fledged “artificial pancreas”, the devices continously monitor blood glucose levels and use a mathematical formula to work out how much insulin a patient needs. They then automatically deliver this dose via an insulin pump.

The systems remove the need for regular finger-prick testing and injections, and take on many of the dosage calculations people with diabetes must make throughout their day-to-day lives.

This relieves much of the burden of traditional care — and often leads to better average sugar levels. But patients will still need to tell the devices when they eat food containing carbohydrates.

Currently in draft form, the guidance from advisory body NICE is now open for consultation.

NICE — the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence — decides whether or not drugs and medical devices offer value for taxpayers.

Diabetes tech, which can improve average blood sugar levels and helping to reduce dangerous and sometimes life-altering complications, may end up saving taxpayers money in the long run.

In this case, a NICE committee decided to recommend the technology on the basis of data from NHS patients involved in real-world trials.

But there are still hurdles to overcome before the closed-loop systems will be available widely on the NHS. The organisation will first need to agree a “cost-effective” price for the tech — which currently costs around £5,750 ($7,000) a year — with manufacturers.

Type one diabetes is an auto-immune condition that kills the pancreatic cells required to make insulin. Without this hormone, glucose can remain in the bloodstream, eventually leading to death. People with the disease must deliver insulin themselves on a regular basis to stay alive.

In the long-term, higher-than-average sugar levels can lead to serious complications like sight loss and organ damage.

Low blood sugar — another day-to-day concern for people with type one diabetes — is both unpleasant and potentially dangerous.

NHS England diabetes lead, professor Partha Kar, said in a statement that closed-loop technology can have a “huge” impact on patients’ quality of life.

“This technology has been proven to give the best control for managing type 1 diabetes and should make things like amputations, blindness, and kidney problems possibly a thing of the past.

“We have seen fantastic results from the real-world trials which have taken place and thank you to NICE for their review of the evidence and subsequent conclusions. The quality of life this technology gives to those using it is huge.

“We look forward to working with industry colleagues to help ensure this technology can be made available to those who need it.”

Initially these closed loop systems would be offered to those who struggle to control their blood sugar, as well as groups like pregnant women with type one diabetes.

But it’s possible that eligibility will expand in the future. In the meantime, individuals who can afford the devices are able to buy them privately.