30th edition – Friday, April 23, 2015

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Diabetes and the UK General Election 2015

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New diabetes self-management app

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US makes $300m investment for Type 1 diabetes research

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Choice...the ultimate myth? – Dr Partha Kar’s latest blog post

Patient choice. Feedback. Opinions. Patient power. How much do we actually mean it? How much of it is actually possible? How much of it is ticking boxes; appeasing some and little else?

The answer uncomfortably is overall, we have just about moved past lip service. And it's tricky...to assume the patient always knows best is a bit debate provoking...as you always worry how much information the use of a particular ask is based on...is it media driven? Is it due to some ill-thought out national campaign? Is it due to industry influence? To make matters even more difficult, we are in an era of what appears to be a power struggle...personally I have found it baffling, but when anything related to care is denied, then not all conversations post that denial is sensible or rational.
Every one, quite rightly, looks at their care and wants the best...any prioritising by healthcare professional based on even evidence is then seen as denial and this builds the power struggle.

Some HCPs try to have explanatory conversations which always have the potential to end amicably but again, in a system where health has been converted to widgets... To read more, click here.

Diabetes and the UK General Election 2015

The five main political parties have now all published their manifestos ahead of the 2015 UK General Election on Thursday, May 7. We take a look at what they are saying about healthcare. To read more, click here.

New diabetes self-management app

A app which allows people with diabetes to track medication, food intake, insulin levels and exercise has been launched

OneDrop was created by Jeff Dachis, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 47 and is the co-founder of US digital marketing agency Razorfish.

He created the software after failing to find an existing app that handled glucose testing, insulin medication and activity logging.

The app allows people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes to either publicly, or anonymously, share information with other users. To read more, click here.

US makes $300m investment for Type 1 diabetes research

The US government has passed legislation for $300m (£200m) of funding for Type 1 diabetes research.

Senators approved the country’s Special Diabetes Program (SDP) for two additional years, ensuring $150m (£100m) can be spent in each of the next two years supporting cutting-edge Type 1 diabetes research at the country’s National Institutes of Health.

Karen Addington, Chief Executive at JDRF in the UK, said: "The renewal of the Special Diabetes Program is excellent news for Type 1 diabetes research globally. We congratulate the thousands JDRF of supporters across the United States for approaching their local senators and representatives about why they most vote to renew it."

To read more, click here.

DIABETES DIGEST

Immune research targets causes of Type 1 diabetes

Researchers from the University of Birmingham have identified a new way in which immune systems are regulated in a discovery that could help us tackle the causes of Type 1 diabetes. To read more, click here.

CASE STUDY – Losing weight 'reversed' my Type 2 diabetes

Tracey Albert, 47, a former sales and marketing manager, is divorced and lives in Medway Kent. She has three children and three grandchildren.

She said: "I’d always been a healthy size 10 but after being made redundant in 2009, depression hit and I was eventually diagnosed with bi-polar disorder." To read more, click here.

Older people network conference date

The 3rd National Conference of the Older People’s Diabetes Network (OPDN) will take place on Thursday, June 18, 2015.

It will be held in Birmingham and led by the network’s Clinical Lead Professor Alan Sinclair. To read more, click here.

Editor in half-marathon challenge for diabetes charity

The editor of The Diabetes Times will be running 14 miles in June to raise funds for the InDependent Diabetes Trust (IDDT).

It is the second year Oliver Jelley will be taking on the challenge of running from Market Harborough to Northampton, as part of the charity’s ‘Striding out for Diabetes’ campaign. To read more, click here.