Equitable access to Automated Insulin Delivery needed for people living with Type 1 diabetes You are here:HomeNewsroomNews Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) has revolutionised care for many people living with Type 1 diabetes, but there are still big barriers to access for many others. AID systems monitor blood glucose levels and automatically adjust insulin levels in response, removing the need for someone living with Type 1 diabetes to do so manually. St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne’s (SVHM) Diabetes Technology Research Group (DTRG), a partnership with the University of Melbourne, recently hosted a national summit of 20 major diabetes stakeholders. The AID Access Summit’s consensus document advocates for an urgent need to address inequity in access to AID, describing it as the most significant advancement in diabetes technology in recent years. “While there is a significant body of evidence indicating that AID systems have transformed lives by improving glucose levels and reducing the burden of care, unfortunately access to these life-changing devices in Australia remains largely dependent on financial means,” said Senior SVHM Endocrinologist Professor David O’Neal. Professor O’Neal, who is also the Founder and Director of the DTRG, said over half of those using AID devices achieve target glucose levels. “This is in stark comparison with the general Type 1 diabetes population in this country, where glucose targets are only met by 20%,” he said. “This data aligns with our coal face observations of an increasing gulf between those using an AID system and those who are not fortunate enough to access these systems.” During National Diabetes Week, Professor David O’Neal also joined one of his patients, Willy, and Diabetes Australia CEO Justine Cain to further highlight the importance of AID on Nine News - watch the story here. Professor Richard MacIsaac, Director of Endocrinology at SVHM, said St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne offers several clinics and support services to help people with their diabetes related technology needs. “We have a highly skilled diabetes education team to assist with the day-to-day management of diabetes related technology issues and this year we introduced a specific clinic to help focus on maximising the best possible outcome for people using automated insulin delivery devices,” Professor MacIsaac said. In addition, a recent nationwide survey of 3,380 people with Type 1 diabetes using technology to manage their glucose levels revealed that while technology was perceived by people living with the condition as being very important for glucose control and their emotional wellbeing, access was reported as their greatest barrier. Lived experience in diabetes technology Jenna Goad is a registered nurse at SVHM working with the Diabetes Technology Research Group (DTRG). She is also living with Type 1 diabetes. “I was diagnosed when I was 11, and at the time that meant needing multiple insulin injections every day,” she said. “Now, I have AID and Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM). “With AID, you’ve got this CGM that sees where your blood sugar is. If it’s rising a bit, it’ll compensate and help level you out.” She said “everyone should have access” to AID technology. “Money can’t buy having that level of control,’ she added. “Being able to know exactly what my blood sugar is doing and knowing that my pump is speaking with my CGM and dynamically changing what rates to give me every single minute of every day is priceless.”