"No good. Diabetes." - Donald Trump

Have diabetes? Trump thinks that makes you unable to perform your job.

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This blog post will be quoting a reporter from Jonathan Swan at Axios.com. Jonathan is citing sources who say that Donald Trump believes he'll be replacing four supreme court justices during his term. 

"Asked how he comes to that jaw-dropping number, Trump mentions the obvious: he's already replaced Antonin Scalia with Neil Gorsuch, and there are rumors Anthony Kennedy will retire."

"Ok," one source told Trump, "so that's two. Who are the others?"

"Ginsburg," Trump replied. "What does she weigh? 60 pounds?"

"Who's the fourth?" the source asked.

"Sotomayor," Trump said, referring to the relatively recently-appointed Obama justice, whose name is rarely, if ever, mentioned in speculation about the next justice to be replaced. 

Trump explained...

"Her health, No good. Diabetes."

In ten years of writing about type 1 diabetes I've perhaps posted twice about something even remotely political. But today it is being reported that the President of the United States believes that type 1 diabetes is an impediment to acting as a Supreme Court Justice. I would like to know what further bias Trump holds against people living with chronic illness. If Justice Sotomayor can lose her job for having type 1, can you? Maybe she doesn't deserve healthcare? Why is it so easy for Trump to dismiss a human being because they happen to have type 1 diabetes? Why is the person making decisions about how the country receives healthcare so painfully unaware of what it means to live with type 1 diabetes. 

Please consider sharing this image on your social media channels and ask news agencies to look deeper into the Axios story. Use the hashtag #RespectUs

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Dexcom Opens their API to Third-party Developers

Dexcom leads the way in diabetes yet again...

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- DexCom, Inc. (Nasdaq: DXCM), the leader in continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), announced today the availability of a public API, empowering third-party developers to connect patient-authorized CGM data into a broad range of software applications. This pioneering approach to CGM data sharing is intended to enable a rich ecosystem of novel solutions and put the user in control of where and how they interact with their glucose data.

"In launching this developer platform, Dexcom combines our CGM data expertise with the creativity of the developer ecosystem to enable new solutions and business models in the treatment and management of diabetes," said Annika Jimenez, Senior Vice President of Data, Dexcom. "Dexcom believes in data mobility and customer choice. It also believes that the API opens up opportunities to drive Dexcom CGM data into the heart of new digital solutions for payers, providers, and most importantly people with diabetes."

Get to it diabetes app developers, go make something great!

Dexcom Dev Page

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New Apple Ad features Dexcom: Here is why that is important to you

"my daughter was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes"

People living with T1D are understandably excited to hear the words, "my daughter was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes" in an Apple ad... but that is just the beginning of why this Apple Watch advertisement should get your heart pumping.

People reach out to Apple all the time to say how Apple Watch is helping them live healthier lives. Here, real customers read the actual stories they shared. Learn more: https://www.apple.com/apple-watch-series-3

The percentage of people with type 1 using continuous glucose monitoring technology is still relatively low. The barriers to adoption are multivariable. Cost, lack of insurance coverage, misunderstanding of what the technology brings to your life and plain just not knowing that it exists are but a few. The truth however is that even if you never find your way to a CGM this quick video, in my opinion, should still make you happy. Here's why.

We finally have a device manufacturer in the diabetes world who moved beyond the diabetes world. When Dexcom searched for others whose collaboration might improve their product, they didn't just form a relationship with a little start-up. They formed a relationship with Apple. The mention of Apple Watch integration with Dexcom in this ad, in my opinion, is not random. The mention didn't happen just because someone wrote a letter. It is there on purpose. This is Apple telling us what is important to them and a signal of where they are focusing their efforts when it comes to the health space. 

The company that put a smartphone into most every hand on the plant and the company that is hugely responsible for the technology that keeps my daughter healthy, they are dating. I think we are all going to like what their future children grow up to be. I'm even more excited when I think about the relationship that Dexcom has with Omnipod and the ways that the Apple connection could improve all aspects of the tech that helps to keep Arden's BGs where we want them. 

For the moment its great to hear diabetes in the mainstream in such a positive way, but I think that this is only the beginning of how Dexcom and Apple are going to make us smile. It is important to note that Dexcom advertises on the Juicebox Podcast but that I wrote this piece on my own. 

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RECALL: Medtronic Infusion Sets

From Medtronic

Explanation of the Issue
Medtronic has become aware of recent reports of potential over-delivery of insulin shortly after an infusion set change. Over-delivery of insulin can cause hypoglycemia and in extreme cases, death. Medtronic has received reports of hypoglycemia requiring medical intervention potentially related to this issue.

Our investigation has shown this can be caused by fluid blocking the infusion set membrane during the priming/fill-tubing process. A membrane blocked by fluid most likely occurs if insulin, alcohol, or water is spilled on top of the insulin reservoir which then could prevent the infusion set from working properly. Infusion sets currently being shipped by Medtronic contain a new and enhanced membrane material that significantly reduces this risk.

To see if your infusion sets are part of the recall please go to this page supplied by Medtronic

https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/customer-support/product-and-service-updates/notice7-letter

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Further Press release

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Nasal Glucagon Study in Phase 3

from Medscape, Marlene Busko

SAN DIEGO — Giving one puff of a dry glucagon powder inside the nose of an adult with type 1 diabetes who was having a moderate to severe hypoglycemic episode was easy for a caregiver to do and led to recovery within 30 minutes in almost all patients in a phase 3 study.

Specifically, the treated patients recovered from hypoglycemia within a half hour in 96% of cases, and 90% of the caregivers (typically a spouse) found the product easy to use, Elizabeth R Seaquist, MD, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, reported at the recent American Diabetes Association (ADA) 2017 Scientific Sessions.

“It is premature to comment on when the product will be available in the US,” he cautioned, but if the NDA is approved, “we are excited to bring this product to market as quickly as possible.”

"We conclude that this 3-mg dose of nasal glucagon in a needle-free, user-friendly package provides a potential alternative to currently available injectable recombinant glucagon," she said.

"It really does look like [this investigational product] could be a good alternative to [intramuscular injectable] glucagon for treating severe hypoglycemia away from a hospital setting," she reiterated to Medscape Medical News.

Read the entire report here

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