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Post by mannmade on Dec 9, 2016 18:36:41 GMT -5
Madog, how long will you be with us till you have to head to the Pentagon?Baba, I get you... 
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Post by mannmade on Dec 9, 2016 12:42:11 GMT -5
"... The less obvious - advertising doesn't have the bang it used to have in decades past so just simply getting the word out doesn't equate to sales. ..."
Regarding the above portion of your post, just my own opinion that it is not that simple. I would add the following observations; advertising platforms have evolved from 3 Broadcast Networks from which most mass media content was consumed other than print mags and papers to a whole range of distribution systems including;more than 3 broadcast networks, plus the addition of cable, satellite, digital/online, mobile, social media, delivery systems and hardware beyond televisions to computers, phones, video billboards, Out of Home Screens, etc... And let's not forget that all of this is also now done in other languages like Spanish.
And the consumer has changed, they will no longer take the word of the Marlboro Man at face value... The consumer is much more educated with all of this information now available immediately wth google and a smart phone.
My point is we still live in a consumer based economy that is fueled in large part by demand created from advertising and marketing but the advertisers and marketers also have to be more educated and smarter. And that is why a Super Bowl Ad is not the simple straight forward approach it might once have been for a product like AFREZZA.
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Post by mannmade on Dec 8, 2016 23:19:22 GMT -5
My bad I meant 5 millon... You are absolutely right. Good catch! At 500K I might recommend... Thanks Lefty! |
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Post by mannmade on Dec 8, 2016 18:27:33 GMT -5
Ok I will bite...
Can we all just agree this is a non starter of a conversation for a whole lot of reason stated over the last two years around this time. For one thing along with production costs each spot is likely to cost around 500k per :30 in media time, second it will be judged against the production value of some pretty clever and highly produced spots.
Secondly, Afrezza is not a well known product and awareness alone is not enough for a product like AFREZZA. There needs to be a succinct message that both informs and educates the targeted consumers. Unfortunately under the current FDA label there is nothing we can say that is either informative enough about the real qualities of AFREZZA or succinct.
If anyone cares to look it up I posted a basic media strategy that in my opinion would be a lot more cost effective and go a lot further in supporting the right message and reaching the right audience.
Lastly I would rather see Afrezza over the 17 days of the Olympics than the one day and 1 spot of the SB. While some Rx meds do advertise in the SB it is generally a vanity effort. The SB is for consumer goods which are the low hanging fruit of he media business mostly commoditized categories like beer and mobile which is why they focus so much on trying to be cute, clever and entertaining.
Just my two cents...
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Post by mannmade on Dec 7, 2016 17:35:36 GMT -5
A sign of things to come...? www.cnbc.com/2016/12/07/epipen-maker-mylan-to-restructure-and-cut-its-workforce.htmlMEDICINE EpiPen maker Mylan to restructure and cut its workforce 3 Hours Ago Reuters Heather Bresch, chief executive officer of Mylan NV, holds up Mylan EpiPen medication while speaking during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016. Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images Heather Bresch, chief executive officer of Mylan NV, holds up Mylan EpiPen medication while speaking during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016. Generic drugmaker Mylan, which has been under fire for its price hikes on the life-saving EpiPen allergy treatment, said on Wednesday that it would restructure and expected to cut less than 10 percent of its global workforce as it integrates acquisitions. Mylan, whose shares were down more than 4 percent at midday, has been under investigation by the U.S. government, and its chief executive officer was called before Congress to testify on raising the price of a pair of EpiPens to more than $600 from $100 in 2008. The company said in a regulatory filing that it would implement restructuring programs in certain locations. At Tuesday's market close, its shares had fallen 25 percent since August, when it first came under public scrutiny by former U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Mylan, which has about 35,000 employees, said in the filing that it would take cost-cutting measures, including workforce actions, after making a significant number of acquisitions. It bought Sweden's Meda earlier this year and Abbott Laboratories' branded specialty and generics business in non-U.S. developed markets in 2015. The company said it would disclose details of its restructuring efforts, including their cost, as it finalizes the plans. Mylan spokeswoman Nina Devlin declined to comment further. Wells Fargo analyst David Maris said in a research note that he did not believe the company had previously discussed a restructuring but added that it had talked about "optimizing" its platform. Mylan has been criticized for classifying EpiPen as a generic product, which led to its paying significantly smaller rebates to state Medicaid programs for the poor than it would have if the drug were classified as branded. In October, Mylan said it would pay $465 million to settle questions of whether it underpaid U.S. government healthcare programs including Medicaid. The U.S. Department of Justice has not confirmed that it has reached a settlement. Mylan, one of the largest U.S. makers of generic medicines, reported a third-quarter loss last month as it set aside money to pay for the settlement. It said it was still working on completing the deal. The Canonsburg, Pennsylvania-based company said it expected EpiPen to account for 6 percent of total sales in 2017. It plans to introduce a generic version that will sell for $300 for a two-pack. Drug price increases were a hot political topic among U.S. presidential candidates during the past two years. President-elect Donald Trump in a Time magazine article published early on Wednesday said: "I'm going to bring down drug prices. I don't like what's happened with drug prices." |
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Post by mannmade on Dec 3, 2016 21:38:57 GMT -5
www.yahoo.com/finance/news/eli-lilly-spikes-fda-approves-212305055.htmlHealth Eli Lilly spikes after FDA approves label change for diabetes drug to reduce cardiovascular death Christine Wang,CNBC Fri, Dec 2 1:23 PM PST Eli Lilly (LLY) shares climbed amid a volume spike after the Food and Drug Administration approved a label change for a diabetes drug the company markets with German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. The stock gained more than 2 percent as more than 12.2 million shares changed hands, well above its 30-day average volume of 6.9 million shares. Jardiance had already been approved in 2014 for lowering blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes, but the FDA said that the drug was also "shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death." Source: FactSet Risk of cardiovascular death is 70 percent higher in adults with diabetes compared to those without, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is also the leading cause of death among adults with type 2 diabetes, said Jean-Marc Guettier, director of the FDA's Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products. "Availability of antidiabetes therapies that can help people live longer by reducing the risk of cardiovascular death is an important advance for adults with type 2 diabetes," Guettier said in a statement. Boehringer Ingelheim CEO Paul Fonteyne said in a statement, "This new indication represents a tremendous step forward in our efforts to reduce the impact of cardiovascular disease among adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease." Even with Friday's gains, Eli Lilly shares have fallen 19 percent this year.
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Post by mannmade on Dec 3, 2016 10:08:57 GMT -5
bigstory.ap.org/17b31df471a74fc783fecc57564a4593Update at 10:07 PM OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Steve Kerr, the NBA Coach of the Year with the Golden State Warriors, acknowledged he tried marijuana twice in the past 18 months while dealing with debilitating back pain. Kerr told Comcast SportsNet Bay Area's Warriors Insider Podcast with Monte Poole on Friday that he used medicinal marijuana but it didn't help - but painkillers have been worse. "I have no idea if I would, maybe I would have failed a drug test, I don't even know if I'm subject to a drug test or any laws from the NBA," Kerr said. "I tried it and it didn't help at all." The 51-year-old Kerr missed the first 43 games last season and the team's record 24-0 start while on a leave of absence following complications from two back surgeries. A spinal fluid leak led to terrible headaches, nausea and neck pain among other symptoms that left him feeling frustrated and down. Kerr noted, "athletes everywhere are prescribed Vicodin like it's Vitamin C, like it's no big deal." He said he hopes sports leagues "are able to look past the perception" and that it's only a matter of time to change rules. He also was just selected the Western Conference Coach of the Month for November.
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Post by mannmade on Dec 1, 2016 19:28:01 GMT -5
Vdex has officially opened for business in their first location where they officially began seeing patients today.
Spread the word... please see below for the Vdex phone numbers:
VDEX #:818-661-6367 and 866-4glucose
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Post by mannmade on Nov 30, 2016 14:15:41 GMT -5
Actually many drug companies use company sponsored (as opposed to drug specific sponsored) topical references such "new ways to control your diabetes" and then refer people within the ad/or content for more information to a web site where they can they show all the disclaimers and reveal whatever message about their drug they want too. I actually did this for a prescription pharma product inside a broadcast network program in primetime a few years back.
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Post by mannmade on Nov 30, 2016 13:28:37 GMT -5
Until the next quarterly cc, which I estimate to be around February 6, 2016, the only reasonable expectation we have for MannKind news is the following:
a. announcement of a RLS milestone payment, (and perhaps more details on the relationship)
b. an anticipated meaningful uptick in weekly script counts (what s meaningful I will leave up to each individual.) Also let us not forget the holidays and yes the winter weather back east and in the mid west will likely slow scripts until mid February or so if history is any predictor of the future...
c. start of pediatric studies
In addition to the above which I also expect to be discussed in the 4th Q CC we should hear more details on the following as well in February:
d. hiring of new staff reps
e. announcement on details of commercial campaign
And really not much else as far as I can see. Everything else is purely speculation, some more so than other. Will the above be enough to move the stock back above $1.00pps for 10 consecutive days before delisting? I believe it will if scripts pick up a bit and I think they will, but that again is my personal opinion.
The purpose of my stating the obvious above is that this will be another "quite period" of sorts and so the stock will likely sit where it is with no big movement one way or the other. And as investors we should now have a short term horizon that looks for possible upward movement beginning somewhere around July thru November 2017 when we should have more positive news as follows:
a. Uptick of weekly scripts
b. Update on pediatric trials
c. Update/decision on label change
d. EpiHale updates/Partner
All else in mho is too speculative for discussion at this time...
One last thing, in addition to the above, even though I consider it to be quite speculative, do not underestimate the value of a cleaned up balance sheet, such that an uptick in scripts may not need to be as great as it would have been before the cleaned up balance sheet to make MannKind look attractive to new investors.
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Post by mannmade on Nov 29, 2016 19:53:31 GMT -5
www.cbsnews.com/news/insulin-prices-skyrocket-putting-many-diabetics-in-a-bind/By SERENA GORDON HEALTHDAY November 29, 2016, 4:14 PM Insulin prices skyrocket, putting many diabetics in a bind SHERRY YATES Comment Share Tweet Stumble Email Insulin, a life-saving medication used to treat diabetes, was discovered nearly 100 years ago, yet the price of the drug has now spiked by 700 percent in just two decades. In early November, Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Independent, pointed out that certain insulins had risen from $21 a vial in 1996 to $255 a vial in 2016. Some have likened the insulin price boosts to the recent price hikes for EpiPen — the life-saving medication needed when someone has a serious allergic reaction. Edith Prentiss, 64, of New York City, knows all too well what the rising cost of insulin means for her. She needs insulin to treat her diabetes and stay alive, yet living on a fixed income has forced her to make tough choices on which drug she can afford. “I have other medications I’ve been on for years, and as they became generic, they got cheaper. Insulin has never gotten any cheaper,” she said. Others have taken notice of these increases, too. On Nov. 17, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) issued a call for Congress to investigate insulin pricing and come up with solutions so that people with diabetes aren’t facing financial hardship when purchasing the medication they need to stay alive. The ADA said that in many areas in Europe, insulin costs one-sixth of what it does in the United States. “Insulin is not a luxury,” said Dr. Desmond Schatz, president of medicine and science for the ADA. “The current situation is unacceptable. We have to make sure there is access for everyone, and that’s why we’re calling on Congress to hold hearings to identify why there’s been such a dramatic increase in insulin prices.” Insulin is a naturally occurring hormone that’s necessary for the body to use the sugars found in foods as fuel. People with type 1 diabetes don’t make enough insulin to survive and must inject insulin multiple times a day to stay alive, according to the ADA. Diabetes cases have quadrupled since 1980 Play VIDEO Diabetes cases have quadrupled since 1980 In type 2 diabetes — the more common form of the disease — the body’s cells become increasingly resistant to insulin. People with type 2 diabetes sometimes also need to take insulin injections, the ADA says. Insulin was first discovered in 1921 by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Frederick Banting and medical student Charles Best, from the University of Toronto. The pair later sold the patent for insulin to the university for $1. But the university couldn’t produce enough insulin for the number of people who needed it. So it teamed up with pharmaceutical companies in the United States and abroad. Part of the deal was that drug makers could take U.S. patents on any manufacturing process improvements. And, since that time, there have been some improvements in insulin. The companies making insulin went from beef or pork insulin to human insulin to synthetic analog insulins, according to the ADA and Lilly Diabetes, which is a branch of insulin manufacturer Eli Lilly & Co. Each new insulin class acted a bit differently from the others, and some caused fewer complications, such as low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). But, there’s no one insulin that’s right for everyone, according to Schatz. “Every patient is different. Individualized care is paramount. There’s no ‘one-shoe-fits-all,’ and insurance companies should not be dictating what insulin we can and cannot use based on formularies,” he said. Which brings up the pricing issues. What’s most important, said Schatz, is that there be a transparency in the process that’s currently lacking. The list price of insulin — and other drugs, too — is what the pharmaceutical companies say their product costs. However, insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers, who administer prescription drug programs for private and government insurers, don’t pay that price. They negotiate discounts. But for people who don’t have insurance or those with high-deductible health insurance plans who haven’t yet met the deductible, that list price may be what they’re stuck paying. Pharmacy benefit managers and health insurance plans also set a “formulary,” or a list of covered drugs. Consumers typically pay the least for generics, more for “preferred” brand-name drugs and even more for “non-preferred” medications. Finally, retail pharmacies may mark up the drug’s price. Insurers and pharmaceutical companies, therefore, may not know exactly who is charging what. And, that’s why the ADA is asking all of these players to come together before Congress to increase transparency in pricing for the patient. Prentiss’ current situation illustrates how confusing drug pricing can be. She’s chosen to use an older, cheaper version of insulin because it’s all she can afford. Prentiss said she has more debilitating low blood sugar episodes on this type of insulin. But on a fixed income, she feels it’s the best — maybe only — option for her. When she goes to the pharmacy to pick up her prescription, she said, she has to make sure they don’t run the prescription through her Medicare Part D insurance. If they do, a vial of her insulin would cost $105. But, if they don’t use her insurance, a vial costs her $25, she said. “I would love to understand the logic behind that,” Prentiss said. Insulin manufacturers realize there is a problem. “Reasonable access to insulin has become a problem for some people with diabetes. This needs to change, and we are committed to doing our part to improve access,” said a Nov. 18 statement from Lilly Diabetes. The company said it is exploring different ways to help patients who need the most assistance, particularly those with high-deductible health plans. Another insulin manufacturer, Sanofi, described the problem another way. The company said in a written statement that the list price for its insulin drug Lantus hasn’t increased since November 2014. “In fact, the net price of Lantus over the cumulative period of the last five years has decreased because of efforts to remain included on formularies at a favorable tier, which helps to reduce the out-of-pocket costs to patients,” the Sanofi statement said. The statement added, “Sanofi is disappointed by recent decisions to exclude Lantus from formulary coverage. Health care professionals and patients should have a choice regarding their treatment and access to the right therapy to meet individual patient needs.” © 2016 HealthDay. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Post by mannmade on Nov 27, 2016 13:14:07 GMT -5
www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/nation-now/2016/11/27/why-does-walgreens-charge-1237-more-than-costco-laurie-roberts/94486422/?hl=1&noRedirect=1Why does Walgreens charge 1,237% more than Costco?: Laurie Roberts USA TODAY NETWORK Laurie Roberts, The Arizona Republic 6:04 a.m. EST November 27, 2016 Walgreens is charging $198.80 out-of-pocket for a thirty-day supply of Donepezil - a medication used to treat Alzheimer's. The same medication at Costco costs $14.87. Why? We asked the companies. Apparently, pricing strategy for prescription drugs is a state secret akin to the nation’s nuclear codes. . (Photo: Republic) PHOENIX — Corinne was reeling when she left the doctor’s office and made a beeline to her neighborhood Walgreens. Ken, her husband of 38 years, had just been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She had watched, stunned and near tears, as he couldn’t answer a series of questions, couldn’t even tell the neurologist that it was fall. A blow like that? It’s almost physical, like a freight train slamming into your gut as suddenly you realize that life will never again be the same. “We left the office with a prescription for Donepezil,” she told me. “I dropped it off at Walgreens and came on home with our daughter and Ken. A couple of hours later, she and I went to pick it up. This was when I found the price to be $198.80. I was floored, but my overwhelming thought was ‘Get that medicine into Ken ASAP.’ ” She paid cash, as Ken is on Medicare but doesn’t have prescription drug coverage. A few days later, when some of the fog of emotion had lifted, Corinne started questioning how 30 tablets — a month’s supply — could cost $198.80. So she started checking around. And found the same medication at Costco for $14.87. So I guess you’re wondering how Walgreens could charge $198.80 for pills that cost just $14.87 at Costco. How a reputable pharmacy could gouge its customers to the tune of 1,237%. Corrine wondered as well. She wrote Walgreens but never got an explanation — just a call offering a full refund. Why do they charge so much? It's a secret Apparently, pricing strategy for prescription drugs is a state secret akin to the nation’s nuclear codes. Neither Costco nor Walgreens would discuss it with me. “It’s important to note that more than 97% of our patients do not pay cash prices,” Walgreens spokesman Scott Goldberg told me, via email. “They purchase their prescriptions using some form of prescription insurance coverage.” So, reading between the lines, the people who have insurance get a break on the cost and the people who don’t, the ones who often can’t afford insurance, are gouged? Apparently, it works like this. Most customers of the major chain drug stores have insurance, and insurance companies negotiate prices that are discounted from a store’s list price. Therefore, the chains attach the list price to a rocket and launch it skyward — and to heck with the poor schlubs like Corrine, who pay out of pocket. Which doesn’t explain why Costco’s prices remain earthbound. And mum’s the word over at Costco HQ: “Costco Pharmacy prices pharmaceuticals based on the same philosophy that we apply to the other merchandise we sell in the warehouse which is — ‘To continually provide our members with quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices.’ However we typically do not share the details behind this philosophy or business model.” The moral of this story: It’s worth shopping around for prescription drugs. Because that neighborhood drug store that bills itself as “at the corner of happy and healthy?” Turns out it’s on a street called highway robbery. Healthcare provider, UnitedHealth Group, the largest health insurer in the U.S., has reportedly been overcharging its customers for secretly overcharging them for prescription drugs, according to Reuters. Time
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Post by mannmade on Nov 25, 2016 15:42:13 GMT -5
Just to be clear the print/post in bold is not my post. I bolded it as a repost with my reply to it above in the original post I made. Please see below for context... TY Mn, For what its worth regarding the below quote I lifted from your above post, I recall Ray saying they were expecting to hear approval of label change (not a decision on label change) from the FDA in 4th Q 2017 as I recall. I actually posted about this as I thought it was either a slip or a very confident prognosis. They are in communication with FDA about the label change which has now been submitted so perhaps the strategy is to maintain price while they wait for the label change which puts AFREZZA in the class by itself that it deserves. Just a thought as I do not know more than this. As long as I'm bitching, let me throw this thought out there for everyone to chew on. CEO Pfeffer seemed elated when it was announced that MannKind has submitted an application that the Afrezza label upgraded to ultra fast-acting. That's terrific, but here's the issue for me: what happens if, after another ten months of waiting, the FDA rejects MannKind's label submission?Read more: mnkd.proboards.com/thread/6734/abc-news?page=2#ixzz4R3TxQptT |
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Post by mannmade on Nov 24, 2016 16:51:11 GMT -5
medicalxpress.com/news/2016-11-cut-off-prediabetes.htmlHome Diabetes November 23, 2016 Study supports lower cut-off point for defining prediabetes November 23, 2016 The health risks and mortality associated with prediabetes seem to increase at the lower cut-off point for blood sugar levels recommended by some guidelines, finds a large study published in The BMJ today. Prediabetes is a "pre-diagnosis" of diabetes—when a person's blood glucose level is higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered diabetes. If left untreated, prediabetes can develop into type 2 diabetes. An estimated 79 million people in the US and 7 million people in the UK are thought to be affected. Doctors define prediabetes as impaired fasting glucose (higher than normal blood sugar levels after a period of fasting), impaired glucose tolerance (higher than normal blood sugar levels after eating), or raised haemoglobin levels. But the cut-off points vary across different guidelines and remain controversial. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines prediabetes as fasting plasma glucose of 6.1-6.9 mmol/L, while the 2003 American Diabetes Association (ADA) guideline recommends a cut-off point of 5.6-6.9 mmol/L. Results of studies on the association between prediabetes and risk of cardiovascular disease and all cause mortality are also inconsistent. Furthermore, whether raised haemoglobin levels for defining prediabetes is useful for predicting future cardiovascular disease is unclear. So a team of researchers from the affiliated Hospital at Shunde, Southern Medical University in China analysed the results of 53 studies involving over 1.6 million individuals to shed more light on associations between different definitions of prediabetes and the risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, and all cause mortality. They found that prediabetes, defined as impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance, was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and all cause mortality. The risk increased in people with a fasting glucose concentration as low as 5.6 mmol/L - the lower cut-off point according to ADA criteria. Raised haemoglobin levels were also associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease, but not with an increased risk of stroke and all cause mortality. The authors point to some study limitations that could have influenced their results, and say pulling observational evidence together in a systematic review and meta-analysis is a good way to consider all the evidence at once, "but we cannot make statements about cause and effect. We would need to look at experimental evidence for that." However, they say their findings "strongly support" the lower cut-off point for impaired fasting glucose and raised haemoglobin levels proposed by the ADA guideline. And they conclude that lifestyle change—eating a healthy balanced diet, keeping weight under control, and doing regular physical activity—is the most effective treatment. Explore further: Detection of four major phenotypes could modulate prediabetes risk
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Post by mannmade on Nov 24, 2016 15:01:43 GMT -5
www.miamiherald.com/living/health-fitness/article116583113.htmlHEALTH & FITNESS NOVEMBER 23, 2016 7:00 AM Living insulin-free: ‘I feel like a whole new person’ Karla Edge has type 1 diabetes and has been insulin-free for 11 years after being treated at the University of Miami’s Diabetes Research Institute. Karla Edge has type 1 diabetes and has been insulin-free for 11 years after being treated at the University of Miami’s Diabetes Research Institute. Andrew Milne University of Miami file photo BY CINDY KRISCHER GOODMAN cindykgoodman@gmail.com LINKEDIN GOOGLE+ PINTEREST REDDIT PRINT ORDER REPRINT OF THIS STORY Karla Edge was losing her battle with type 1 diabetes when she arrived desperate at the Diabetes Research Institute in Miami. She had been suffering such severe hypoglycemia that her husband and two daughters frequently called 911. Because Edge had no warning when her blood sugar plunged, she could could no longer hold a job or drive the car. Doctors at the Institute transplanted pancreatic islet cells into Edge’s liver. Now, she has been living insulin free for the last 11 years. “After living 40 years with type 1 diabetes, I feel like a whole new person,” said Edge, 56, who lives in northwest Florida and travels to Miami once a year for testing, but no longer considers herself a diabetic. “I am enjoying each day and I say all the time, ‘Please let it keep working.’ ” ADVERTISING Continued advances in diabetes treatment are holding promise of a better life for patients like Edge with type 1 diabetes. From transplants to devices to medication, tools for managing type 1 diabetes are improving as researchers seek a cure. These advances arrive as doctors report a rise in the number of people being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, which typically is diagnosed in children and young adults. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation estimates that about 1.5 million Americans suffer from type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune condition that can develop over days and weeks, and is not linked to a person’s diet. For many patients like Edge who have lost hypoglycemia awareness over time, the islet cell transplant is a viable form of treatment, according to Dr. Rodolfo Alejandro, a professor of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine and director of the DRI Clinical Cell Transplant Program. So far, more than 1,500 patients have been treated with this procedure in medical centers around the world. Results of clinical trials show that about 50 percent of transplant patients remain insulin-free after five years. “Even if they have to take some insulin to balance things, at least now they can sense when their glucose is low and they can avoid severe hypoglycemia,” Alejandro explained. But patients must be on immunosuppressive drugs, which have side effects, he said. “Still, this is an alternative for a selective group of people with type 1 diabetes.” Meanwhile, other diabetes patients are benefiting from a newer procedure. In August 2015, 43-year-old Wendy Peacock, who had lived with diabetes since she was 17, underwent the first-ever BioHub transplant of donor islet cells into the omentum, the surface of the abdominal cavity. Researchers at UM’s Miller School of Medicine now will evaluate whether the omentum is a better home for the islets than the liver, the traditional transplant site. Alejandro sees promise: “We know that transplanting the cells into the liver is not perfect. We lose a lot of islets in the process. We are hoping the new site will allow us to get even better success.” More advances may be on the way. According to the Harvard Gazette, in January, researchers at MIT’s David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, in collaboration with scientists at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, announced they have developed an implantable device that in mice shielded insulin-producing cells from immune system attack for six months. The insulin-producing cells were made from stem cells. “We are excited by this new technology and are working hard to advance it to the clinic,” said Daniel Anderson, the Samuel A. Goldblith Professor of Applied Biology at MIT, which supported the research. For patients who aren’t eligible to give up insulin, doctors say diabetes management has become more aggressive with improved pumps and glucose monitors. For example, there are now four types of continuous glucose monitoring systems. Sensors implanted under the skin can monitor glucose in real time to prevent hypoglycemia. The newest sensors last up to seven days. Going forward, diabetics can anticipate more options: Researchers have long sought to link glucose monitoring and insulin delivery by developing an artificial pancreas. In October, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new device made by Medtronic that monitors glucose levels and automatically administers insulin, based on those levels. It’s for type 1 diabetes patients, ages 14 and up. The device is expected to be available in spring. Larry Hausner, chief patient advocate of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, said with all the innovation, diabetics need to carefully examine their choices. “There are lots of new options that are good, but their goals should not be to get off insulin if they really need it,” he said. He said he sees promise on the horizon from pharmaceutical companies for alternatives to insulin shots. To be sure, South Florida doctors say type 1 diabetes, though rarer than type 2, has been more difficult to treat. “By the time they get to me, they have had diabetes for decades,” said Dr. Adam Splaver, a metabolic cardiologist who practices in Miami Beach and Hollywood. Splaver treats patients with type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes with diet, exercise, vitamins and neutraceuticals. “I have been successful in preventing progression or reversing it if I use multiple modalities,” he said. For type 1 diabetes, he suggests patients look into the new innovations and work closely with their healthcare providers. Read more here: www.miamiherald.com/living/health-fitness/article116583113.html#storylink=cpy
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