Equitable access to standard T1D care
Australia is lagging developed countries in providing affordable access to Automated Insulin Delivery (AID), standard care for people living with type 1 diabetes. Currently, access to insulin pump therapy, a core component of an AID system, is influenced by socioeconomic status, remoteness, & ethnicity rather than clinical need.
It’s time to fix this inequity.
AID involves the use of a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), insulin pump, and a mathematical algorithm that automatically adjusts insulin delivery. Our current pump funding model means the cost of AID is out of reach of many Australian’s living with T1D.
I recently travelled to Parliament House to discuss this equity issue with Dr Mike Freelander MP (Chair, Inquiry into Diabetes) & Graham Perrett MP. In the 72 hours before our meeting, I reached out to the broader diabetes community for support. The response was clear. There is a sector-wide hunger to tackle this issue.
You can read our open letter to Dr Mike Freelander, signed by over 20 key stakeholders from community, research, and healthcare below.
This is not a research issue. This is an equity issue.
The evidence is clear. AID systems are safe & effective in people living with T1D. AID improves blood glucose levels, diabetes-related distress, quality of life and are cost-effective. Yet we have an increasing equity gap in those who can access standard T1D care.
The time to act is now. If you use an AID system and are experiencing the benefits we know & love, let your local MP know how it has changed your life. If you, or someone close to you, are struggling to access an AID system due to cost, write to your local MP to let them know how this impacts you. You can find your local member here.
We are just getting started. We are stronger together. It’s time to tackle this long-standing inequity & make AID accessible to those with T1D who choose to use it, regardless of their bank balance or postcode.
If you’d like to read more on the issue:
Renza Scibilia’s piece on access in her incredible blog, Diabetogenic
Open letter to Dr Mike Freelander MP - Chair of Standing Committee: Inquiry into Diabetes. Posted below.
