University Project-any opinions would be fantastic help!

[Anna 10]

Hello,

I am currently a third year at Nottingham University studying Environmental Science. As part of one of our modules (Science Technology and Business) we have to come up with a new product to market. My group and I have decided upon a new technology to benefit diabetes sufferers. The idea builds on two current technologies, firstly a glucose measuring device worn around the wrist which draws glucose through the skin and measures the concentration, alerting the wearer if sugar levels get too high or too low to take some action. And secondly a new method of injection which doesn’t use needles, where by the injection material (in this case insulin) is ‘fired’ at high speed through the skin, this is not painful but is costly and is only in the development stages. We thought by combining these two technologies into a watch containing a glucose monitor and a insulin firing mechanism diabetes sufferers could minimise the use of needles and cut down on time spent testing their sugar levels. This unfortunately is just for a University project, no one (as far as we are aware) is developing this technology. However if it were to be developed how greater advantage would this have to your lives? Would you be willing to pay up to £300 initially for the watch, as well as the continual purchase of insulin for the watch?

Any opinions, ideas or thoughts would be very much appreciated!

Thank you for your time! We will keep you updated on how the project is going!

Anna Squires

[hels 10]

Anna

 

I saw a device that fired insulin about 5 years ago. I wish I could remember the company for you, but I haven't retained that information. It might have been Lily and it would certainly be worth contacting them to see what they are up to.

 

I would love to see a device that can measure glucose levels and give the required insulin to maintain sugars within a normal level. It seems to me that this would take all the guess work out of keeping control. Having said that it would need to be a very sensitive and accurate machine to work within the defined limits.

 

Please keep us updated as this sounds like an exciting project. You never know where student projects can lead :-)

[sassycat 10]

Anna~

Good idea however here are a couple pointers about the ideas you are going off of.

 

The problem with the injection idea is that they have tried insulin injection by air pressure and it does hurt a lot becaus eof the amount of air that has to be used to puncture the skin.

 

And then the Glucowatch that you speak about...my Nurse used it for two days and had sores from teh suction used to draw the blood for three weeks. so if you have ideas to improve upon those that would be great.

 

Kimberly

[Gina 10]

I think the project would be better off with a small device that actually injects instead of shooting...I have heard that the air shooting insulin hurts worse than a regular shot...id rather just have a regular shot of insulin...and as far as the glucowatch, i think that really needs some help if you go to www.glucowatch.com you will see that it isnt that accurate and you still need to check your blood sugar with a regular blood monitoring machine and have to calibrate them to work together...i appreciate the effort you guys are doing but i think that it wont be useful....as kimberly said if you can improve on those two seperate ideas instead that would be better

[statdeac 34]

Why not go all the way with an aritficial pancreas that works like a pump with a built in continuos blood glucose montoring censor implanted just under the skin.

 

The pump would automatically adjust basal and bolus levels depending on the readings from the monitor.

[Gina 10]

thats what im talking about....or an insulin pump that checks your blood and pumps automatically...i think maybe scientists are doing that already though

[statdeac 34]

It would seem that it would be some kind of ultimate goal...short of a cure, that is

[Gina 10]

yea i agree!!

[Jon 10]

When I went to the ADA convention last summer, I checked on an "artificial pancreas" that Mini-med had developed.

 

Originally posted by Jon

I asked about the Minimed 2007 implantable insulin pump. It is not yet available in the US, but is being used in Europe. It is about the size and shape of a cd and is implanted into your side just under the skin. It works with a remote. To refill the insulin cartridge, you inject insulin with a needle, through the skin, and into a tube on the device. The battery on the latest model lasts about 7 years, and then they have to open you back up to replace the battery or probably replace the device with a newer model. They also have an implantable device that reads your bg and connects directly to the device.

[Tony 680]

here is the 2007

 

[statdeac 34]

Hey Jon and Tony,

 

Thanks for the info. Does this thing run automatically without the need for manual adjustments...in other words is it really as "smart" as a pancreas in terms of being able to dose based on continuos readings without needing manual input?? If so and it really works, we need it in the US!!!

[Jon 10]

I think you still have to program and adjust it over time. It has a remote that allows you to make whatever changes you need to.

[Gina 10]

i would be afraid to use the implantable pump ...thats just weird

[statdeac 34]

if it was more automatic, I could see putting it inside. Otherwise, what are the added benefits to the diabetic? Would it be worth the convenience of just not having to worry about putting it on and taking it off, changing sites, etc. (Maybe I'm missing something not being a current pumper.)

[Gina 10]

i think you still have to have it cleaned out it just seems more uncomfortable than anything id rather be able to put the pump on myself every three days then have it inside me....what if something goes wrong ... it can be messy

[sassycat 10]

now they are workling on a project wher you would have a continous glucose monitor implanted that would have a sensor in your heart to get completely acurate readings that would then send the infor to an implanted insulin pump which would automatically correct for the blood sugar...so you would have two separte implants but heck anything is better than test my blood sugar 6 times a day.

[Gina 10]

i never heard of that

[Tony 680]

I have heard of that but not the implanted one.

 

They don't even have any implanted pumps out yet for the public. I don't think I would want it implanted. You would think they would be working on the external pumps first to do that.

[sassycat 10]

actually minimed already has implantable pumps out..its just that people aren't sure about them yet.

[Tony 680]

Originally posted by sassycat

actually minimed already has implantable pumps out..its just that people aren't sure about them yet.

 

Is it in the usa too?

[sassycat 10]

I believe it is

[Gina 10]

i thought it wasnt here yet either...

[sassycat 10]

I'm not sure i just know that Minimed does have an implantable pump out.

[Gina 10]

i think its in trial still

[Jon 10]

The FDA loves to hold out on us. It takes years for anything to get through them.