Comments on: Fact Finding at ADA, in the ‘Big Easy’

By: Dr. L.K. Shankhdhar, M.D.

Dr. L.K. Shankhdhar, M.D. — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:46:35 +0000

I have been presenting 1-4 abstracts in ADA every year since 2005. This year I submitted 3 abstracts and all were accepted (P-1081, Poster oral abstract, titled “Diabetes education through mobifilms” and one Published Only abstract (No: PO-2204). What pinched me this year was that several poster presenters did not turn up and their sites remained vacant. Several Published only abstracts could have been accommodated in their place, had there been any system with ADA to have firm commitment with presenters and in case of omission, some Published only abstracts could have been elevated to the status of Poster presentation.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:53:04 +0000

Hi,

Very intresting read. I have read a few posts on your site now and thourghly enjoy it..
With regards to the Oral-lyn insulin spray, will there be only one strengh (one unit per puff) Or will there be different strenghs as in asthsma inhalers? I could see the problem you mention, could be really big.
For instance a person who takes over 50 units a day would surley go through a lot of inhalers. I doubt that you would even get 50 puffs in a single pump anyway, (I maybe wrong) is just my opiniun.

By: Strawberry

Strawberry — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:15:13 +0000

Jules – I am one of the lucky ones with a darn good health insurance plan at the moment. I KNOW my care would be diminished under a government “universal” plan. Those without insurance or who are underinsured would get care they desperately need, but those of who currently have deluxe plans would suffer. I suppose that’s fair, but universal care scares the heck out of me.
On the flipside, insurance tied to my job (or right now my husband’s job) is terribly scary as well. If we ever lose it, we are completely screwed under our current health care system.
I do not know the answer, and while Obama is indeed smart, he and his smart workers will NOT be able to solve this problem.
Our system is woefully broken.

By: Lauren K

Lauren K — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:24:51 +0000

Jules, maybe WSJ is the organization that needs to get the difference between type 1 and type 2 straight, especially after their earlier remark on Sotomayor’s diabetes. I would take ObamaCare any day over the current for-profit system, because Obama is smart and has smart people working with him, while the people running companies such as Anthem Blue Cross are both ignorant and greedy. I firmly believe in single-payer health care after dealing with the nightmare that is for-profit insurance, from both the patient’s and the physician’s perspective.

Talk about not understanding the difference between type 1 and type 2 — Blue Cross reps have told me, on multiple occasions, that metformin is a “generic” (and, coincidentally, dirt-cheap) alternative to insulin. I have to explain, to no avail, that type 1 requires insulin. The continual fights I have with them to get my insulin “authorized” have been infuriating. They often authorize Lantus but not Humalog, and I have to call to explain that I need both, because while they are both insulins they have different kinetic profiles, about every few months. On and on and on.

The current for-profit system is a disaster. I have a chronic condition and I need insulin to live. I won’t wake up tomorrow and magically be cured of my insulin dependence, unless I have a fairy godmother at work. Why should I have to fight and argue to have insulin temporarily covered, when I faithfully pay my inflated premium? And how many billions in profit does this company make, while screwing sick people out of care and coverage? It’s just wrong.

By: mcityrk

mcityrk — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:17:22 +0000

According to the D Kliff’s newsletter, the Abbott Navigator is pretty much DOA and Edwards hospital based CGM effort is a partnership with Dexcom.

By: Jan

Jan — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:46:20 +0000

Having just defected to the Dexcom 7 Plus cgms, I am curious as to when Minimed with debut the Sof-Sensor? We had been holding off for a solid year; when we saw not action, we just went over to Dex (my niece has been without a cgms for that solid year). I would be annoyed to find MM is NOW bringing out Sof-sensor, though happy for other children. We had asked endo and MM repeatedly when SofSensor (and, more importantly, smaller introducer needle) was arriving; no one knew….I’m guessing it will be another year-long wait, though……

By: steve

steve — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:12:50 +0000

Oral-lyn is not an inhable insulin. It is absorbed through the bucal mucossa of the mouth (the tough lining of the cheeks). This is way better than potentially cancer causing inhalable stuff. It is already available in Egypt and South America. Please, don’t group it with inhalable insulin. Give a detailed report on what you are seeing. Who boluses 20 units at a sitting?! Not me, and I’ve been type for 29 years.

By: Megan

Megan — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:39:14 +0000

Carol, the Navigator is Abbott’s CGM. The Aviator is Abbott’s pump that has passed FDA review, but has not been released. Rumors are that they are frantically scurrying around to integrate the Navigator with it, because they no longer have the option to do it with Cozmo.

Any word on the release date of Medtronic’s new Sof-Sensor?

By: Carol

Carol — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:01:16 +0000

Anne, I couldn’t agree more. I get tired of hearing about inhalable insulin since it seems like a sub par therapy choice.

Wendy, I may be behind the times, but I believe Abbott was partnering with the Cozmo pump on the Aviator. So now that Smith’s Medical (owner of Cozmo technology) is exiting the pump market, I wonder if anyone will (or has) jumped in with Abbott on that.

By: Anne Findlay

Anne Findlay — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:21:32 +0000

I can’t imagine they will be marketing the inhalable insulin to type 1′s? Didn’t we already go through this? What I want is to be able to control my diabetes precisely. I would never give up my pump over inhalable insulin, especially if I still require basal/long-acting insulin. Who is consulting for these companies? This money could be better spent elsewhere in my opinion.

Thanks for the updates, Amy.