The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) has released draft guidance for a new type 1 diabetes treatment option that could benefit over 100,000 people.
The new draft proposal by NICE, recommends the use of hybrid closed loop systems for managing blood glucose levels in type 1 diabetes.
Also described as an ‘artificial pancreas’, this technology will allow a person with type 1 diabetes to go about their day-to-day life without having to monitor if their blood glucose levels are too high or too low.
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Diabetes UK have called the draft guidance a ‘promising step’ towards allowing people to manage their diabetes and avoid complications.
Professor Partha Kar OBE, national specialty advisor for diabetes at NHS England said: ‘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.’
The system works by a person having a continuous glucose monitor sensor attached to their body. This transmits data to a body work insulin pump which calculates how much insulin needs to be delivered into the body.
Policy Manager at Diabetes UK, Nikki Joule said: ‘Type 1 diabetes can take a huge mental toll, with people manually calculating how much insulin they need regularly throughout the day. By automating these calculations, hybrid closed-loop technology can greatly alleviate the emotional burden of diabetes.’
NICE have said they look forward to working with NHS England and industry to ensure that a fair cost-effective price can be reached for the systems. Currently, an average annual cost for the technology is £5,744.