An Artificial Pancreas?

In the past decade, there has been a vast improvement in diabetes healthcare from new types of insulin to new gadgets to help monitor glucose levels.

Such equipment as an insulin pump alone has improved diabetics' lifestyle.

One of the first insulin pumps

 The One Touch Ping Insulin Pump

My current insulin pump

Did you know that insulin was first discovered back in 1921?Now there is a plan called the Artificial Pancreas Project which was approved by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) back in October of 2005.

The idea behind the Artificial Pancreas Project is creating a 'real time' sensor. This sensor would work as a meter that is attached to the body (no more finger pricks!) that would test glucose levels periodically. With the constant glucose readings, a special algorithm would relay the proper insulin dose to a pump like device.

A diagram of how the Artificial Pancreas works.

Although, it is not a cure, it is a way for diabetics to better manage their disease and reduce the burden of the disease.  This concept will also be used for pregnant women with Type 1 Diabetes.  This will allow the expecting mother to care for her disease as well as her unborn child and reduce the risk of a dangerous pregnancy.  

From the BBC news article, Artificial pancreas could save lives during pregnancy quoted Dr. Helen Murphy, from Cambridge University, "These high blood glucose levels [in pregnant women] increase the risk of congenital malformation, stillbirth, neonatal death, preterm delivery, macrosomia [oversized babies] and neonatal admission.  So to discover an artificial pancreas can help maintain near-normal glucose level in these women is very promising."

According to the research, “the Artificial Pancreas kept glucose levels normal for 60 percent of the time compared with the 40 percent of the continuous pump. “