Approval of Canada’s first Hybrid Closed-Loop System will help Canadians with type 1 diabetes keep their blood sugar levels in an optimal range for a greater amount of time
Toronto, Ont. — October 10, 2018 – JDRF Canada, the leading global funder of type 1 diabetes research, applauds Health Canada’s recent license of the Medtronic MiniMedTM 670G hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery system – the first self-adjusting insulin pump to be licensed in Canada.
This is an exciting day for the 300,000 Canadians living with type 1 diabetes because this device will help keep their blood sugar levels in a target range for longer and avoid the dangers of both low and high blood sugar throughout the day and overnight.
“JDRF has actively supported research into the development of closed-loop insulin delivery systems for many years and this is a major milestone in improving the lives of Canadians with type 1 diabetes. This device will help people with type 1 keep their blood sugar in target range for longer, so they can live easier, longer and healthier lives – and that’s exactly what JDRF is striving to achieve as we work towards a cure,” says Dave Prowten, President and CEO, JDRF Canada.
Because people with type 1 diabetes are not able to produce insulin, they need to check their blood glucose levels several times a day and then calculate and inject an appropriate insulin dosage. The MiniMedTM 670G system can actually replicate some of the functions of the pancreas by automating basal insulin delivery. This device consists of an insulin pump, continuous glucose monitor and smart software to automate the delivery of the right amount of insulin every 5 minutes. It is called a hybrid closed-loop system because the patient still has to enter carbohydrates when they are eating to make decisions about meal-time insulin.
People living with type 1 diabetes live in constant fear of hypoglycemia, low blood sugar levels that if left unchecked can be life-threatening. The MiniMedTM 670G system will reduce the worry of these dangerous lows that can happen overnight and allow people with type 1 (and their caregivers) to sleep better without having to get up multiple times through the night to check blood sugar or give insulin.
“JDRF Canada maintains an open dialogue with Health Canada, device manufacturers and policy makers so we can ensure that Canadians have access to these kinds of life-changing technologies within a reasonable time frame. We will continue to advocate to get critical developments like these into their hands,” says Patrick Tohill, Director of Government Relations, JDRF Canada.
For more information about the Medtronic MiniMedTM 670G system please visit: www.medtronic.ca
About Type 1 Diabetes
- Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. It is a life-threatening chronic condition requiring continuous and life-long management
- The onset is not related to diet or lifestyle. There is nothing anyone can do to prevent it and, at present there is no cure. It can affect both children and adults and lasts a lifetime.
- People with type 1 diabetes need to test their blood sugar and give themselves insulin through injections or a pump multiple times per day – every day for the rest of their lives.
- Insulin is not a cure for type 1 diabetes, nor does it prevent complications which may include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke and pregnancy complications.
- T1D can be difficult to live with. While trying to balance insulin doses with food intake and daily activities, people living with T1D must always be prepared for serious hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemic (high blood sugar) reactions, both of which can be life-threatening.
About JDRF
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes research. Our goal is to raise funds to support the most advanced international type one diabetes research and progressively remove the impact of this disease from people’s lives – until we achieve a world without type 1 diabetes. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to better treat, prevent, and eventually cure type 1 diabetes. JDRF is the largest charitable supporter of type 1 diabetes research. For more information, please visit breakthrought1d.ca.
Media contact
Soledad Vega
Manager, Marketing and Communications
JDRF Canada
647-459-7881
svega@jdrf.ca
