Busy as a Bee this Summer
Jun 2, 2017, 11:58 AM
Happy summer to everyone! It’s a great season for spending time with family and friends in the outdoors – at the lake, the park, the pool or just in the backyard. Although summer is a great time to relax and refresh, it often ends up being more hectic as we try to squeeze in additional activities with our already busy work schedules. So please keep in mind to keep track of your health.
There is a LOT going on in diabetes this summer as well.
The 77th ADA Scientific Sessions is just around the corner; hopefully some of you will be able to attend.
For those of us on the forefront of diabetes education and management, don’t forget to prepare for AADE17, August 4-7 in Indianapolis. It promises to be an exciting four days. From keynote speakers to the education sessions, from the exhibit hall to the poster sessions, prepare to be informed, engaged and empowered. It’s not too late to register. If you cannot make it in person, consider attending via the Virtual Meeting later this fall through AADE17 Sessions on Demand. You will experience top notch, state of the art information that will help you provide your patients and colleagues at home with the latest in technology, medications, nutrition and a vast arena of diabetes related topics.
These are definitely amazing times in diabetes research, care and management.
Speaking of new technology, have you seen the latest out of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio?
Ralph DeFronzo, MD and Bruno Duran, Ph.D. have co-invented a patented technique that provided an unconventional cure for type 1 diabetes in mice for one year without side effects. This research discovery increases the types of pancreatic cells that secrete insulin. This is exciting news, as researchers and individuals with diabetes have searched for a potential cure for many years. Dr. DeFronzo explained that this therapy utilizes a technique called gene transfer. In this technique, a type of virus is used as a carrier to introduce specific genes into the pancreas. These genes will become pancreatic cells and produce digestive enzymes and insulin. The gene transfer technique is not new – it has been used in the past and has been approved by the FDA nearly 50 times in the treatment of other diseases. The next step is to do large animal studies and then hopefully start human clinical trials in the next three years. Learn more about this important research.
In other news, there is a new implantable mini pump for delivery of GLP-1. In a recently released study, it was shown that the device and drug met the FDA heart safety pre-approval requirements. This mini pump is the size of a matchstick, is implanted under the skin and will be replaced every six to 12 months. Learn more about this implantable mini pump.
These are definitely amazing times in diabetes research, care and management. It is important that we educate our clients on what is available to them, how it might benefit them and then provide the training and support needed to make treatments successful.
About the Author
Barbara Walz is an RN, BSN and has been a certified diabetes educator since 1986. Since 2000, Barbara has coordinated a multi-site diabetes study examining the macro-vascular effects of diabetes at the South Texas Veterans’ Healthcare System under the supervision of Dr. Ralph DeFronzo.