Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

NHS to start world's first artificial pancreas system trial

NHS to start world's first artificial pancreas system trial

AROUND 1,000 NHS patients with type 1 diabetes will take part in a trial of systems that continually monitor blood sugar levels and automatically adjust the amount of insulin given via a pump, according to a report in The Times.

Made by Medtronic, the device is the first hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery system to be approved anywhere in the world.


The pilot scheme will submit data to a national audit. Those results will feed into an assessment by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which is considering whether NHS adoption of the technology would be “a clinically and cost-effective use of NHS resources”, the report said.

The patients taking part in the trial are expected to be those already using an insulin pump and wearing glucose monitors, but struggling to keep their blood sugar levels under control.

Experts hope that the new technology can prevent life-threatening hypoglycaemic attacks, as well as making patients’ lives easier by eliminating the need for finger prick tests, the report added.

“Living with diabetes is a daily challenge for millions of people, and this closed-loop technology has the potential to make a remarkable difference to their lives," Sir Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, told The Times.

“In a year that marks a century since insulin was discovered — which revolutionised the world of diabetes — this innovation is a prime example of the NHS’s continued progress in modern medicine and technology.”

People with type 1 diabetes — 8 per cent of people with diabetes in the UK — cannot produce enough insulin. They need daily doses of the hormone to keep blood sugar levels under control, delivered via an injector pen or a pump. Before the discovery of insulin in 1921 people with type 1 diabetes rarely lived more than a year or two.

Patients have traditionally taken regular blood sugar readings by pricking their fingers, although two fifths now use devices such as the Freestyle Libre, worn under the skin to monitor glucose levels.

They then inject insulin as needed. The new artificial pancreas goes further, with readings sent to a smart device that calculates how much insulin is needed and tells an insulin pump worn by the patient how much to release.

“One hundred years after the discovery of insulin, the artificial pancreas is a potentially revolutionary development in the treatment of diabetes," Professor Partha Kar, the NHS national speciality adviser for diabetes, told The Times.

“The NHS has long been at the forefront of clinical advances in care for major diseases, including diabetes, which have allowed patients to live longer and healthier lives.”

More For You

Starmer-Modi-Getty
Starmer during a bilateral meeting with Modi as he attends the G20 summit on November 18, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo: Getty Images)

2024 in review: Strengthening India-UK ties amid leadership changes

THE YEAR 2024 brought significant political and economic developments for India and the United Kingdom, shaping the trajectory of their bilateral relations.

A key highlight was the decision to relaunch negotiations for a "mutually beneficial" Free Trade Agreement (FTA), a move that underscores the growing importance of trade between the two nations.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer nominates Raval,  Debbonnaire for peerage

Krish Raval

Starmer nominates Raval,  Debbonnaire for peerage

RIME MINISTER Keir Starmer has nominated British Indian professional Krish Raval and British Sri Lankan politician Thangam Debbonnaire for peerage as his government unveiled the latest picks for parliament's unelected upper chamber. The Liberal Democrats have British Pakistani councillor Shaffaq Mohammed on their list. According to reports, former prime minister Rishi Sunak's nominations for the House of Lords are expected at a later date.

The Labour leader also appointed his controversial ex-chief of staff Sue Gray to the House of Lords. Gray, who quit as Starmer's top Downing Street staffer in October amid reported internal tensions, became something of a household name in Britain after leading the probe into the so-called Partygate scandal.

Keep ReadingShow less
Government apologises for smoking poster with Sikh man

Sikh teachings explicitly forbid the use of tobacco

Government apologises for smoking poster with Sikh man

THE government has issued an apology after a poster encouraging people to quit smoking sparked criticism from the Sikh community. The poster featured an image of a turbaned Sikh man alongside the message, "Make 2025 the year you quit smoking."

The image, sourced from a stock photo website, was uploaded to the NHS website as part of the Better Health campaign but has since been removed, the Sky News reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
No charges for police in viral Manchester arrest incident

The brawl started on a Qatar Airways flight, but then spilled over into the airport.

Getty Images

No charges for police in viral Manchester arrest incident

NO police will be charged over a violent incident caught on camera in which an officer appeared to kick a man and stamp on his head, UK prosecutors said.

The video, shot during an arrest at Manchester airport, went viral online, causing public outrage and sparking two nights of protests in Manchester and nearby Rochdale in northwest England in July.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jagmeet Singh targets Trudeau with no-confidence motion

Justin Trudeau (L) and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh

(Photo by JUSTIN TANG/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Jagmeet Singh targets Trudeau with no-confidence motion

CANADIAN prime minister Justin Trudeau looked set to lose power early next year after a key ally said he would move to bring down the minority Liberal government and trigger an election.

New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh, who has been helping keep Trudeau in office, said he would present a formal motion of no-confidence after the House of Commons elected chamber returns from a winter break on Jan. 27.

Keep ReadingShow less