Diabetes Connections | Type 1 Diabetes

What can those of us who will never climb the highest mountains, or take on extreme outdoor challenges – learn from those who do? Patrick Mertes and Michael Shelver have hiked and biked – and fallen – on incredible expeditions, while living with type 1. They'll share what they've learned, how those lessons apply to everyday life with type 1, what their family's think and what's next. Plus, Patrick talks about why diabetes camps remain such a cornerstone of confidence and connection, and how parents can help their kids face challenges that truly build independence. This is the keynote address from Moms' Night Out Minneapolis. Make sure to join us in 2026 for this amazing event! More info:  at the Moms' Night Out main page This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Learn more about Project 50 in 50  Learn more about studies and research at Thrivable here Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.

We all know how important exercise is for good health. And we all know how difficult exercise can be with type 1 diabetes. There's a new resource from some of the smartest people in our community. The folks at Diabetes Wise are adding exercise to their platform, which already has community and expert sourced information on devices. We're talking to the folks behind this move about what problems they want to solve, what's actually on the site and how to use it and how they manage their T1D while working out.  You'll hear from Dr. Korey Hood and Dr. Dessi Zaharieva from DiabetesWise.  This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Join us at an upcoming Moms' Night Out event! Learn more about studies and research at Thrivable here Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.

n the News.. COVID-19 & T1D, Ozempic Pill Progress, Faster Insulin, "Beyond Misconceptions," and More It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: A new study looks at the link between COVID-19 and very young children, Lilly moves ahead with their Ozempic oral pill, ultra-rapid insulin clears another hurdle, Beyond Type 1 launches a new campaign and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom   Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/advances-in-type-1-diabetes-science-and-tech/ This article is part of "Innovations In: Type 1 Diabetes," an editorially independent special report that was produced with financial support from Vertex. XX More evidence linking COVID 19 to type 1 diabetes.. but still exactly why is a mystery. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an unexpected increase in the number of cases of type 1 diabetes in Sweden, particularly among children under 5 and young adult men. The infection accelerated the onset of diabetes among children between the ages of 5 and 9. The researchers looked at data from a 17-year period on the incidence of type 1 diabetes among all people under the age of 30 in Sweden. In addition, they compared the risk of developing diabetes among 720,000 individuals with positive COVID-19 tests against a control group of 3.5 million people. The findings are published in the journal Diabetologia. The number of diabetes cases increased by 12% in 2021 and 9% in 2022 compared with previous years. In 2023, the number of cases was back to a normal level. Despite this, the researchers cannot distinguish a clear connection between COVID-19 infection and diabetes, except for children between 5 and 9 years old. They had an increased risk of type 1 diabetes about one month after a COVID-19 infection even though their total risk did not increase. "However, it's clear that the COVID-19 vaccine can be ruled out as a cause of the increase in diabetes cases. The recommendation for the age group where we saw the strongest increase was not to get vaccinated. In addition, other studies on adults have shown that vaccination reduces the risk of developing type 1 diabetes after a COVID infection." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-diabetes-young-people-pandemic.html XX A new gene therapy approach aimed at protecting people with type 1 diabetes from developing diabetic kidney disease—a serious and common complication of the condition, has shown promising results in a University of Bristol study. Findings from this new study, published in Molecular Therapy, demonstrated a 64% reduction in a damage indicator for kidney disease, paving the way for a potential new treatment. The study, explored the potential of delivering a protein called VEGF-C directly into kidney cells. Previous studies have shown VEGFC could protect against kidney disease as it helps keep blood vessels in the kidney filter healthy, repairing early signs of diabetes-related kidney damage. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-gene-therapy-kidney-disease-diabetes.html XX The FDA has agreed to consider Afrezza inhaled insulin for children and teens. The company said in August that it submitted a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Afrezza in the pediatric population and it's been assigned a decision deadline date of the end of May, 2026. Afrezza first recieved FDA approval for adults (age 18 and up) in June 2014 https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/fda-accepts-application-mannkind-inhaled-insulin-kids/ Update on inhaled insulin for kids.. in the open-label, randomized, phase 3 INHALE-1 clinical trial Afrezza demonstrated safe and effective replacement for rapid-acting meal insulin in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D and demonstrates comparable glycemic control to injected rapid-acting insulin. The INHALE-1 clinical trial assessed the safety and efficacy of Afrezza among children and adolescents with T1D, including a total of 230 patients aged 4 to 17 years. Researchers used basal injected insulin and randomly assigned inhaled insulin or rapid-acting analogue for meals, evaluating the change in hemoglobin A1c levels at 26 weeks. After completing 26 weeks of randomly assigned treatment with either Afrezza or rapid-acting insulin injections combined with basal insulin, participants continued receiving the inhaled insulin until week 52 for an extension phase to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Afrezza with continued use.1,2 https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/inhaled-insulin-demonstrates-comparable-safety-lung-function-and-efficacy-to-injectable-insulin-in-type-1-diabetes XX Eli Lilly released the results of two new Phase 3 trials of an experimental GLP-1 pill that the company says could become a "foundational treatment" for type 2 diabetes. The Indianapolis-based drugmaker plans to submit global regulatory applications for orforglipron in the treatment of type 2 diabetes next year. The company said it will seek approval of the drug as an obesity medication by the end of 2025. Lilly is trying to build on the success of its Mounjaro/Zepbound franchise by offering patients a pill instead of an injection. But the company is trailing behind rival Novo Nordisk in developing an oral alternative, and data released so far has raised some skepticism among investors. A study released in August showed that orforglipron could help patients lose an average of about 12% of their body weight. Wall Street had been expecting more; Lilly's injectable drug Zepbound produced weight loss of as much as 21%, and Novo Nordisk has achieved 15% weight loss percentages for both oral and injectable versions of its Wegovy medication.   https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/eli-lillys-orforglipron-bests-farxiga-padding-oral-glp-1-case-pair-phase-3-diabetes-wins   XX XX UF Health Cancer Center researchers have found a surprising culprit behind common health problems such as obesity, diabetes and fatty liver disease: silent genetic glitches in the blood system that occur naturally as people age. The findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, mean that in the future, simple blood tests could be developed to identify people most at risk early on, helping prevent chronic illnesses and cancer through strategies like diet or lifestyle changes. As people age, stem cells in the bone marrow that produce blood cells gradually accumulate mutations in their DNA. Most mutations don't cause any issues, but sometimes blood stem cells with a mutation can start crowding out their peers. Called clonal hematopoiesis, this condition affects about 10% of older people and is associated with an increased risk of blood cancers like leukemia. It's also linked to a higher risk of obesity and diabetes. But the prevailing thinking was that obesity and related conditions promoted blood cell changes, not the other way around. The new study reverses that. The implications could be far-reaching, particularly as obesity has now overtaken smoking as the most significant and preventable risk factor for cancer. The team is studying how the mutations drive disease. Next, they plan to test how drugs like those commonly used to treat diabetes and new popular weight loss drugs might help reverse or prevent diseases caused by blood cell changes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-hidden-blood-mutations-obesity-diabetes.html XX A new ultra rapid insulin continues to move forward. A phase 3 clinical trial of BioChaperone Lispro (liss-pro) conducted in China found it safe and effective compared with Humalog along with a significant reduction of the rise of blood glucose after a test meal.     These results complete and confirm the positive outcomes previously obtained with THDB0206 injection in people with Type 2 Diabetes It combines Adocia's proprietary BioChaperone® technology with insulin lispro, the active ingredient in the standard of care, Humalog® (Eli Lilly).   This innovative formulation acts significantly faster https://pharmatimes.com/news/ultra-rapid-insulin-shows-promise-in-phase-3-trial-for-type-1-diabetes/   Poor blood sugar control in adolescent patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) may be associated with a higher risk of neuropathy in adulthood, according to recent research from the University of Michigan.1 The study included children diagnosed with T1D between 1990-1992 who were recruited into the Cognition and Longitudinal Assessment of Risk Factors over 30 Years cohort study in Australia. Investigators collected HbA1c from medical records, and microvascular complications were assessed through self-reports, clinical screenings, retinal photographs, and urinary albumin-creatinine testing.3   A total of 30 children were recruited from the original cohort with a mean diagnosis age of 2.9 years. After an average of 29.7 years (standard deviation [SD]: 3.9 years), 33% of participants (n = 13) developed neuropathy, 63% (n = 19) developed diabetes-related eye disease, and 10% (n = 3) developed neuropathy.3 Mean HbA1c estimates during

A very common fear among adults with type 1 is having a child diagnosed with T1D. My guest this week was diagnosed at age 7 and he says he held his breath each time one of his three children passed the milestone. But then, his youngest was diagnosed at age 8. I'm talking to Brian Foster about that experience, what surprised him, how everyone's doing now and a lot more. He's also a CDCES and has a master's degree in exercise physiology. Brian is an Ironman triathlete who has completed more than 50 marathons and we get his advice about the endurance sports he loves. Brian's blog My Sweet Hat Trick here Our previous episodes with marathon runners with T1D here Previous episodes with endurance athletes with T1D here This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Join us at an upcoming Moms' Night Out event! Learn more about studies and research at Thrivable here Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.

This week on Diabetes Connections.. Medtronic is making some big moves.. from new sensors, to spinning off the diabetes division.  Dr. Jen McVean, medical affairs director at Medtronic's diabetes business. Dr. McVean lives with type 1 and has a real passion for better access and better outcomes using technology. We talk about their latest real-world studies, questions doctors ask about these systems, the new sensors that are now available and a lot more. This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Our last episode with Medtronic about their upcoming products and partnerships here (from May 2025) More about Medtronic's new Instinct sensor here More from Medtronic about the news here Join us at an upcoming Moms' Night Out event! Learn more about studies and research at Thrivable here Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: Sanofi lowers prices, oral pill for T1D prevention studied, updates from Medtronic, Tandem, and Sequel Med Tech, falsely lower A1Cs (and why that happens), Biolinq gets FDA okay for micro-needle CGM and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom   Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links:   Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX French drugmaker Sanofi says it would offer a month's supply of any of its insulin products for $35 to all patients in the U.S. with a valid prescription, regardless of insurance status. The program, originally meant for uninsured diabetes patients, would now include those with commercial insurance or Medicare, the drugmaker said. Patients will be able to purchase any combination, type, and quantity of Sanofi insulins with a valid prescription for the fixed monthly price of $35, starting January 1. Lilly and Novo also have similar programs through which they offer insulin products for $35 a month for U.S. patients regardless of whether the patients have insurance. There is no law at work here – the only legislation that has changed the price of insulin came with the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 with the Medicare cap. Helping lower the cost here, biosimilars hitting the market and the huge profitability for GLP-1 drugs for Novo and Lilly https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/sanofi-offer-all-insulin-products-35-per-month-us-2025-09-26/ XX A pill typically prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis and alopecia might help slow the progression of type 1 diabetes, a new study says. Baricitinib (bare-uh-SIT-nib) safely preserved the body's own insulin production in people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.. and their diabetes started progressing once they stopped taking baricitinib, results show. They produced less insulin and had less stable blood sugar levels.   Baricitinib works by quelling signals in the body that spur on the immune system, and is already approved for treating autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and alopecia, researchers said.   "Among the promising agents shown to preserve beta cell function in type 1 diabetes, baricitinib stands out because it can be taken orally, is well tolerated, including by young children, and is clearly efficacious," Waibel said. "We are hopeful that larger phase III trials with baricitinib are going to commence soon, in people with recently diagnosed type 1 diabetes as well as in earlier stages to delay insulin dependence," she added. "If these trials are successful, the drug could be approved for type 1 diabetes treatment within five years."   Findings presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.   https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2025-09-23/pill-effective-in-slowing-type-1-diabetes-progression XX An existing transplant drug has shown promise in slowing the progression of type 1 diabetes in newly diagnosed young people, potentially paving the way for the first therapy that modifies the disease after diagnosis. The Drug, called ATG, is currently used together with other medicines to prevent and treat the body from rejecting a kidney transplant. It can also be used to treat rejection following transplantation of other organs, such as hearts, gastrointestinal organs, or lungs. The researchers studied 117 people aged five to 25, who'd been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes within the past three to nine weeks. The participants were from 14 centers across eight European countries and were randomized to be given different doses of ATG (0.1, 0.5, 1.5, or 2.5 mg/kg) or a placebo. ATG was given as a two-day intravenous (IV) infusion. The main goal was to see how well the pancreas could still make insulin after 12 months, measured by C-peptide levels during a special meal test. C-peptide is released into the blood along with insulin by the pancreas.   The findings are promising, showing that ATG, even at a relatively low dose, can slow the loss of insulin-producing cells in young people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The lower dose also caused fewer side effects, making it a more practical option. https://newatlas.com/disease/antithymocyte-globulin-newly-diagnosed-type-1-diabetes/     XX The FDA has delayed its feedback on Lexicon Pharmaceuticals' application to bring Zynquista (sotagliflozin) to people with type 1 diabetes. The agency had planned to respond this month but will now wait until the fourth quarter after reviewing new data from ongoing studies. Zynquista, an oral drug meant to be used with insulin, has already been approved for heart failure (marketed as Inpefa). But in type 1 diabetes, it faces safety concerns: last year an FDA advisory committee voted 11–3 that its benefits don't outweigh the increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). The FDA later issued a complete response letter rejecting the drug. Lexicon is still pushing forward, hoping its additional submissions will strengthen Zynquista's case for type 1 diabetes approval. https://www.biospace.com/fda/after-fda-rejection-lexicons-type-1-diabetes-drug-hit-with-another-regulatory-delay     XX A common but often undiagnosed genetic condition may be causing delays in type 2 diabetes diagnoses and increasing the risk of serious complications for thousands of Black and South Asian men in the UK—and potentially millions worldwide. A new study found around one in seven Black and one in 63 South Asian men in the UK carry a genetic variant known as G6PD deficiency. Men with G6PD deficiency are, on average, diagnosed with type 2 diabetes four years later than those without the gene variant. But despite this, fewer than one in 50 have been diagnosed with the condition.   G6PD deficiency does not cause diabetes, but it makes the widely used HbA1c blood test—which diagnoses and monitors diabetes—appear artificially low. This can mislead doctors and patients, resulting in delayed diabetes diagnosis and treatment.   The study found men with G6PD deficiency are at a 37% higher risk of developing diabetes-related microvascular complications, such as eye, kidney, and nerve damage, compared to other men with diabetes.   "This study highlights important evidence that must be used to tackle these health inequalities and improve outcomes for Black communities. Preventative measures are now needed to ensure that Black people, especially men, are not underdiagnosed or diagnosed too late." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-hidden-genetic-delay-diabetes-diagnosis.html XX Novo Nordisk today announced the resubmission of its Biologics License Application (BLA) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Awiqli® (insulin icodec) injection, a once-weekly basal insulin treatment for adults living with type 2 diabetes. If approved, Awiqli® would become the first once-weekly basal insulin available in the United States, providing an alternative to daily basal insulin injections for adults living with type 2 diabetes.   The resubmission is based on results from the ONWARDS type 2 diabetes phase 3a program for once-weekly Awiqli® which is comprised of five randomized, active-controlled, treat-to-target clinical trials in approximately 4,000 adults with type 2 diabetes. The clinical program evaluated Awiqli® vs. daily basal insulin and the primary endpoint in these trials was change in A1C from baseline.1-5 Awiqli® is approved in the EU, along with 12 additional countries. In addition, regulatory filings have been completed in several other countries, with further regulatory decisions expected in 2025. XX Interesting news from Sequel Med Tech – they've signed an agreement with Arecor to pair the twiist pump with AT278 an ultra-concentrated (500U/mL), ultra-rapid insulin in development. They also have a deal with Medtronic to develop insulin for new pumps. This insulin isn't yet approved, it's 5 times stronger than standard fast acting  it's hoped that a clinical study will begin next year. Arecor says its insulin could potentially be the only option capable of enabling and catalyzing the next generation of longer-wear and miniaturized automated insulin delivery systems.   https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/sequel-arecor-develop-rapid-insulin-twiist/ XX Tandem Diabetes Care announes its t:slim X2™ insulin pump with Control-IQ+ automated insulin delivery (AID) technology is now cleared for use with Eli Lilly and Company's Lyumjev® (insulin lispro-aabc injection) ultra-rapid acting insulin in the United States (U.S.).   – The t:slim X2 insulin pump with Control-IQ+ technology is now cleared for use with Lyumjev for people with type 1 diabetes ages 2 and above and all adults with type 2 diabetes. The companies are continuing to work toward securing Lyumjev compatibility for the Tandem Mobi pump. https://hitconsultant.net/2025/09/29/tandem-diabetes-cares-tslim-x2-pump-cleared-for-use-with-lillys-ultra-rapid-lyumjev-insulin/ XX You can now place your order for the MiniMed™ 780G system w

The glucose projector is a simple but powerful idea that can only come from someone who lives with type 1 – and sleeps with it! John DeLeo created a digital readout of CGM data that displays the number, and the time, right on the ceiling. John was diagnosed with type 1 in his 40s. We'll talk about his diagnosis, what lead him to this invention, the long road of bringing it to market, and more. Learn more about Glucose Projector here  This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Join us at an upcoming Moms' Night Out event! Learn more about studies and research at Thrivable here Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.

This week on Diabetes Connections.. catching up with Dexcom's Jake Leach.. our first interview with him since Leach was promoted to CEO. As always, a lot going on – we get the details on a recent recall for Dexcom software, studies presented at EASD, a look at what's coming up for the rest of this year and into next and – of course – I ask your questions. This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. More about the FDA letter about direct-to-consumer advertising here Dexcom news from EASD here Join us at an upcoming Moms' Night Out event! Learn more about studies and research at Thrivable here Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.

Managing diabetes data can feel overwhelming, especially when every device speaks a different language. What if your care team could see it all in one place—and have a diabetes educator checking in between visits? This week, we're talking about SweetSpot, a platform that hopes to make everything easier for the doctor and the person with diabetes. This is a big new trend in diabetes care – we're talking about how it works, who pays for it and a lot more with Sweet Spot Director of Diabetes Education and Clinical Services Jodi Hughes, RD, LDN, CDCES This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Join us at an upcoming Moms' Night Out event! Learn more about studies and research at Thrivable here Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: kids' A1C and tech access correlation, first generic GLP-1 for weight loss approved, Metformin cuts long covid risk, Tandem Diabetes & Eversense updates, and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom   Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links:   Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX Accessibility to modern diabetes technology directly correlates with A1c among children with type 1 diabetes globally. Big, cross-sectional study, conducted in 81 pediatric diabetes centers in 56 countries, found that a greater extent of reimbursement for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), insulin pumps, glucose meters, and insulin was associated with lower A1c levels. Partha S. Kar, MD, Type 1 Diabetes & Technology lead of the National Health Service England, told Medscape Medical News, "As is now being shown in countries such as UK with widespread uptake of technology, there is now population-wide shift in A1c not seen before."   He added, "If policymakers are serious about bringing A1c at a population level to sub-7.5% - 8% levels, then without technology it would be incredibly difficult to achieve, in my experience and opinion. Leaving the median A1c of a population at above 7.5%-8% goes with complications so that's a decision regarding investment many will have to make in the near future."   In an accompanying editorial, Elizabeth R. Seaquist, MD, professor of diabetes, endocrinology, and metabolism and co-director of the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, called it "striking" that access to technology in and of itself was associated with improved glycemic control, given that multidisciplinary team care is also needed to provide education and behavioral or psychological support.     https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/diabetes-tech-access-linked-a1c-kids-t1d-globally-2025a1000nn6 XX A man with type 1 in Illinois has received the first FDA-approved islet-cell replacement treatment, Lantidra, and  he is now producing his own insulin. The treatment works by restoring the body's beta cells, potentially eliminating the need for insulin injections.   The FDA approved Lantidra (donislecel) in 2023. Lantidra uses donor cells and requires lifelong immunosuppressive drugs.     Lantidra is only available at University of Illinois Chicago Health. Other universities, such as the University of Pennsylvania, continue to do islet cell transplants as part of clinical trials. Early data has shown that a majority of participants in the Lantidra clinical study were able to achieve some level of insulin independence, but it's unclear whether the benefits of donislecel outweigh the treatment's safety risks. Nearly 87 percent of participants reported infection-related adverse events, and post-operation complications included liver lacerations, bruising of the liver (hepatic hematoma), and anemia. One patient died of multi-organ failure from sepsis, which Lantidra maker CellTrans stated was "probably related" to the use of either immunosuppression or study drugs.   In addition, some industry leaders have raised the question of whether it's ethical to commercialize the use of deceased donor islet cells. https://diatribe.org/diabetes-research/first-fda-approved-islet-cell-transplant-performed?utm_campaign=feed&utm_medium=social&utm_source=later   XX Patients in the U.S. now have access to the first generic GLP-1 treatment approved for weight loss as Teva has launched its copycat of Novo Nordisk's injected Saxenda (liraglutide).   The compound, which is a GLP-1 forerunner of Novo's semaglutide products Ozempic and Wegovy, has been approved by the FDA to treat adults with obesity and those who are overweight and have weight-related medical problems.     Saxenda also is endorsed for pediatric patients ages 12 through 17 who are obese and weigh at least 60 kg (132 pounds). The treatment is for both triggering and maintaining weight loss. Saxenda is not the first GLP-1 drug that is available as a generic. In June of last year, Teva also was the first company to launch a knockoff version of Novo's Victoza, which is the same compound as Saxenda but has been approved only for patients with Type 2 diabetes. Sales of the branded versions of both Victoza and Saxenda have declined significantly in recent years as demand for Novo's semaglutide and Eli Lilly's tirzepatide products have skyrocketed. In addition, marketers of compounded products have been aggressively competing for market share in the GLP-1 space. https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/saxenda-knockoff-teva-launches-first-generic-glp-1-obesity   XX Metformin could cut the risk of Long COVID by 64% in overweight or obese adults who started the drug within 90 days of infection. The large observational study, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, analysed health records of over 624,000 UK adults with COVID-19 between March 2020 and July 2023. Among these, nearly 3,000 patients who began metformin treatment soon after diagnosis were tracked for a year. Compared to non-users, their likelihood of developing Long COVID, defined as persistent symptoms 90 days or more after infection, was dramatically lower. https://www.ndtv.com/health/metformin-cuts-risk-of-long-covid-by-64-why-the-diabetes-pill-is-not-for-everyone-9242332 XX Forty-four percent of people age 15 and older living with diabetes are undiagnosed, so they don't know they have it, according to data analysis published Monday in the journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. The study looked at data from 204 countries and territories from 2000 to 2023 in a systematic review of published literature and surveys. "The majority of people with diabetes that we report on in the study have type 2 diabetes," said Lauryn Stafford , the lead author of the study.   "We found that 56% of people with diabetes are aware that they have the condition," said Stafford, a researcher for the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. "Globally, there's a lot of variation geographically, and also by age. So, generally, higher-income countries were doing better at diagnosing people than low- and middle-income countries." People under 35 years were much less likely to be diagnosed if they had diabetes than people in middle age or older. Just "20% of young adults with diabetes were aware of their condition," Stafford said. https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/08/health/diabetes-undiagnosed-half-of-americans-wellness XX A team of Hong Kong scientists is developing an injectable treatment that could potentially improve blood flow in diabetes patients' feet, in the hopes that it will reduce the need for amputation by rebuilding tissue in the arteries.   They also hope to apply the treatment to peripheral artery disease or PAD, a condition caused by the build-up of fatty deposits in arteries that affect blood circulation in the feet. "Traditional treatments for people suffering from poor blood flow in their legs are stent implantation or bypass surgery, which is invasive," said Wong, who is also the co-founder of a biotechnology company called NutrigeneAI. He said it was his dream to turn research in the academic field into actual clinical treatments. But he added that the team still needed three to four years for further research on the treatment.   https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3324671/hong-kong-scientists-developing-new-blood-flow-treatment-aid-diabetes-patients XX   Tandem Diabetes announces Health Canada authorization for distribution of the Tandem t:slim mobile application for Android and iPhone users. The Tandem t:slim mobile app allows users to deliver a bolus from their compatible smartphone, and to wirelessly upload their pump data to the cloud-based Tandem Source platform.1 The app is expected to be available later this year.   The Tandem t:slim mobile app will be available for compatible smartphones in the Apple App Store and Google Play store later in 2025. Once available, Tandem will email eligible customers with instructions on how to download and use the app.  https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250904665715/en/Tandem-tslim-Mobile-App-Now-Authorized-by-Health-Canada-for-iPhone-and-Android-Phones   XX Some changes to how the Eversense CGM will be rolled out.. right now it's being distributed by Ascensia Diabetes Care.  Senseonics will take back commercial control of the year long implantable CGM on January 1 in the US and expanding worldwide throughout 2026. The change was a mutual decision, according to the two companies, which said they have signed a memorandum of understanding before a definitive agreement is hammered out by the end of the year. To get started, Senseonics is also set to acquire members of Ascensia's commercial staff—including its CGM president, Brian Hansen, who is slated to become Senseonics' new chief commercial officer. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/senseonics-retake-eversense-cgm-commercial-control-ascensia-diabetes-care XX Utrecht-based medic

Lauren Cox and Gary Forbes both live with type 1 diabetes and both played at the very highest level of the sport: the WNBA and the NBA. Podcaster Rob Howe brought them together as part of the Diabetes Legends Basketball Clinic – an ongoing event for kids and teenagers with type 1 that takes place in different cities around the country. I sat down with all three of them to talk about what it takes to get to that level of pro sports with type 1, what setbacks they had along the way, what keeps them going, and advice they have for families today.  This episode was recorded live at the Friends for Life conference  This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Learn more about Diabetes Legends events here  Our previous episode with Gary Forbes here Join us at an upcoming Moms' Night Out event! Learn more about studies and research at Thrivable here Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.

This week on Diabetes Connections.. when T1D is one of many chronic conditions. Stacy Abrams was diagnosed with type 1 at age five, and she's faced a slew of other issues since then. Chronic fatigue, celiac, a long road to uncovering mold and environmental illness. She shares the highs and lows of that journey, what helped along the way, and why having a medical team that truly listens makes all the difference. This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Join us at an upcoming Moms' Night Out event! Learn more about studies and research at Thrivable here Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: CRISPR modified cell transplant for type 1, risk of T1D if parent has a different type of diabetes, Metformin and the brain, oral GLP-1, and more! Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom   Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. XX A 42-year-old man who has lived most of his life with type 1 diabetes has become the first human to receive a transplant of genetically modified insulin-producing cells. This marks the first pancreatic cell transplant in a human to sidestep the need for immunosuppressant drugs. "This is the most exciting moment of my scientific career," says cell biologist Per-Ola Carlsson of Uppsala University in Sweden, who helped develop the procedure. The new treatment, he says, "opens the future possibility of treating not only diabetes but other autoimmune diseases." This procedure uses the gene editing technique, CRISPR, to discourage the auto immune attack on the donor cells. Before the transplant, the participant had no measurable naturally produced insulin and was receiving daily doses of the hormone. But within four to 12 weeks following the transplant, his levels rose slightly on their own after meals—showing that the new beta cells were releasing some insulin in response to glucose. even though the new study is promising, it involved just one participant and is therefore preliminary. And longer-term monitoring is needed to confirm the therapy's safety before it can be offered to more people. She also notes that the injected cells produced only 7 percent of the insulin needed for a person to be fully independent of additional medication. The researchers supplied the recipient with insulin doses to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. While Herold thinks it's still too early to consider this approach for a cure, "these options are now here to change the disease in ways that have never been possible before," he says. "There's tremendous hope." https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/type-1-diabetes-patients-insulin-production-restored-with-new-cell/ XX   This one is interesting… a recent study shows that children of mothers with gestational diabetes or fathers with type 2 diabetes have higher chances of developing type 1 diabetes than kids whose parents do not have any type of diabetes. Specifically, the study found that children whose mothers had gestational diabetes during pregnancy were 94% more likely to develop type 1 diabetes compared to children of mothers without diabetes. Similarly, having a father with type 2 diabetes was linked to a 77% higher risk. The study also suggests a possible link between maternal type 2 diabetes and type 1 diabetes in children, although more data are needed to confirm whether the risk is real.   "What is interesting is that type 1 diabetes is a disease of lack of the hormone insulin while gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes stem mostly from the body's resistance to the hormone. What may be happening is that genes, environments and behaviors that create insulin resistance may also, in some cases, trigger the immune reactions that lead to type 1 diabetes," adds Dr. Dasgupta. A 2019 meta-analysis by researchers at Soochow University in China found that gestational diabetes was linked to a 66% higher risk of type 1 diabetes in children. This new study, which includes more than twice as many studies, offers a robust synthesis of current evidence and shows the risk is even greater than previously estimated. It is also the first meta-analysis to examine the link between paternal type 2 diabetes and type 1 diabetes in offspring. "Several mechanisms may be at play. Families often share lifestyle and eating habits, which can raise the likelihood that children will be affected. But beyond that, high blood sugar levels may also cause biological changes in parents that could increase their children's risk of developing type 1 diabetes," explains Laura Rendon, co-first author of the study, who completed an MSc in experimental medicine at The Institute and, as someone living with type 1 diabetes herself, finds deep personal meaning in conducting this research. For instance, the authors suggest that high blood sugar during pregnancy may stress the fetus's insulin-producing beta cells, reducing their number at birth or making them more vulnerable to damage later in life. It may also trigger epigenetic changes—modifications to proteins and molecules attached to DNA—that increase the risk. Likewise, high blood sugar in fathers with type 2 diabetes may cause epigenetic changes in their sperm, potentially influencing their child's risk of developing type 1 diabetes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-diabetes-children-linked-parents.html XX Can a CGM help you lose weight? The company Signos is banking on it – the just got FDA approval for their system, which uses the over the counter Dexcom Stelo. The claim here is that the system will help track how food choices, activity, stress and sleep can all affect metabolism. Signos also works in partnership with the digital nutrition counseling startup Nourish. It currently offers a quarterly subscription plan, including six CGM sensors, for $139 per month. And they tell you don't take any medical actions based on the app's output without consulting a physician. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/fda-clears-signos-over-counter-cgm-powered-weight-loss-app XX Good news for T1D1, a free mobile app that helps people calculate insulin doses, track daily data, and share insights with healthcare providers. After being pulled off the market with similar apps a few years ago, it's now back and FDA approved. Drew Mendelow created the app after his diagnosis at age 13. He came on the show last year and I'll link his story up in the show notes. Diabetes Center Berne provided the initial funding to support the T1D1 efforts to redesign the app per FDA standards.  Comerge AG , the registered manufacturer, enlisted a team of software engineers, regulatory experts, and design professionals to ensure T1D1 was FDA-ready. Dexcom graciously conducted the Human Factors study to ensure safety and accuracy.  ​ ​T1D1 is now FDA-cleared as a Class II medical device and is the first over-the-counter insulin calculator cleared for individuals aged 2 and older. T1D1 is expected to be live in the AppStore and Google Play Store by October 2025. https://diabetes-connections.com/the-fda-took-down-this-teens-free-bolus-calculator-he-needs-your-help-to-bring-it-back/ XX Metformin has been the standard treatment for type 2 diabetes for more than six decades, yet scientists still do not fully understand how it works. A team from Baylor College of Medicine, working with international collaborators, has now identified an unexpected factor in its effectiveness: the brain. Their findings reveal a brain pathway involved in metformin's glucose-lowering action, pointing to new strategies for treating diabetes with greater precision. The study was published in Science Advances. The researchers concentrated on a small protein called Rap1, located in a region of the brain known as the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH). They discovered that metformin's ability to lower blood sugar at clinically relevant doses depends on suppressing Rap1 activity in this brain area.   "This discovery changes how we think about metformin," Fukuda said. "It's not just working in the liver or the gut, it's also acting in the brain. We found that while the liver and intestines need high concentrations of the drug to respond, the brain reacts to much lower levels."     https://scitechdaily.com/after-60-years-scientists-uncover-hidden-brain-pathway-behind-diabetes-drug-metformin/   XX Looks like GLP-1 pills are moving ahead. Lilly says it's version helped overweight adults with type 2 lose 10% of their body weights and lower A1C. Just two weeks ago, we were talking about how the same drug in people without diabetes had less than the stellar expected results. Orforglipron is a small-molecule pill that is easier to manufacture and package than wildly popular injectable drugs for obesity, such as Lilly's Zepbound and Novo Nordisk's NOVOb.CO rival treatment Wegovy, which are peptide mimics of the appetite-controlling GLP-1 hormone. In the 72-week study of more than 1,600 overweight or obese adults with type 2 diabetes, those who received the 36-milligram highest dose of orforglipron on average shed 10.5% of their weight, or about 23 pounds (10.43 kg), versus 2.2% for those who received a placebo, achieving the main goal of the trial. Patients on the lowest 6 mg dose of the Lilly drug lost 5.5% of their weight. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2025/08/26/lilly-glp-1-pill-weight-loss/85830686007/ XX     An intervention that combined a low-calorie Mediterranean diet and exercise led to less diabetes incidence in older adults. Men had a greater diabetes risk reduction with the intervention than women. The study was based in Spain, and the diet may not be as easy to adhere to i

We've got an important update on a diabetes drug you may have never heard about. Sotagliflozin is known to have big benefits for people with type 2 but getting it approved for type 1 has been frustrating to say the least. The FDA has twice declined to approve it for people with T1D, but experts – including my guest – are pushing and hoping that will soon change. I'm talking to Dr. Steve Edleman, an endocrinologist who lives with type 1 and heads up the group Take Control of Your Diabetes – TCOYD. We'll talk about the risks that come with sotogliflozin, how continuous ketone monitoring could change the game, and what you can do to push for change. TCOYD's petition here This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Join us at an upcoming Moms' Night Out event! Learn more about studies and research at Thrivable here Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.

We've got a funny, informative, helpful and no holds barred "Ask Me Anything" panels. Recorded at Moms' Night Out in Cleveland, you'll hear from two incredible experts who've lived with type 1 diabetes for decades—Julia Blanchette, PhD, RN, CDCES, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, FNP-BC, CDCES. We tackle everything from helping grandparents understand modern T1D care, to balancing diabetes in a marriage, to managing ADHD alongside diabetes in teens. We'll also dig into why screening for type 1 is so important—and how to find the community and resources that make life with diabetes just a little bit easier. This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Join us for a Back to School webinar - sign up here Join us at an upcoming Moms' Night Out event! Learn more about studies and research at Thrivable here Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.