[Injecto]

FDA: Teen insulin pumps risky - CNN.com

I don't know if I should be mad or just happy at the press the pump is getting here..

But a couple of comments on the following:

"The federal review of use by young people over a decade found 13 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries connected with the pumps. At times, the devices malfunctioned, but other times, teens were careless or took risks, the study authors wrote."

Focus on the bolded part...


"Some teens didn't know how to use the pumps correctly, dropped them or didn't take good care of them. There were two possible suicide attempts by teens who gave themselves too much insulin, according to the analysis."

A pump is not a bad thing overall just because some people don't know how to use it. No matter what technology exists, there will always be people who don't know how to use it properly, from DVD players, iPods, cars, ladders, etc.....

[fgummett]

Exactly... not sure why they are focusing on Pumps... it could just as easily read, "Teenagers injecting insulin risky..."

[w5wjp]

Anything in the hands of a teenager is risky.

[Scrabblechick]

Yeah, and WAY more teens are killed behind the wheel than will ever die because of insulin pumps.

Studies like that get under my skin because they ignore the many, many young people who have pumps, are conscientious about them and never have any problems.

You can't idiot-proof everything. Someone will always find a way to screw it up, no matter how well-engineered it is. Why do you think coffee cups from McDonald's say "HOT" on the side? Because an idiot woman spilled coffee on herself and sued McD's, saying she didn't know the coffee would be hot. HELLO! It's coffee! Idiots will find a way to be idiots.

The mind do wobble.

[Funnygrl]

So they're worried about teens being careless or overdosing themselves? Why can't you do that with injections? I didn't realize I needed a pump to be careless!

That being said, I suppose if you're really worried about your teen and they're on shots an adult could give them their shots, then take the insulin away, rather than having their insulin attached to them.