NEWS
On 19 September Prime Minister David
Cameron visited the manufacturing site
for Abbott's blood test strips and new
Libre sensors at a location within his
Witney constituency. He hailed Abbott's
breakthrough new glucose monitoring
technology for diabetes care as a prime
example of medical innovation that is
driving growth and creating jobs in the UK's
high-performing life sciences sector. The
new monitoring system is a revolutionary
technology designed to reduce the number
of finger prick tests being done by diabetics
by enabling glucose readings by swiping a
handheld reader over a small sensor worn on
the body. The sensor lasts up to 14 days and
automatically measures, captures and stores
actionable glucose data for eight hours.
Devised by Abbott's global R&D team
headed by British scientist Jared Watkin,
the core element of Abbott's innovative
FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring
system will be manufactured in Witney
and exported across the globe. Abbott's
Witney manufacturing site is the largest
employer in Mr Cameron's constituency,
already producing more than 2 billion
PM VISITS SENSOR-MANUFACTURING SITE
blood glucose test strips a year that are
shipped all over the world.
Pat Cole, Site Director of Abbott's
Witney facility, said, "We are thrilled
to welcome the Prime Minister to our
manufacturing site in Witney today. The
launch of the FreeStyle Libre system
marks an extraordinary milestone for
those living with diabetes, as well as a key
chapter in Abbott's UK history."
Type 1 diabetic
Douglas Cairns,
former RAF
pilot instructor
and holder of
18 aviation speed records, will be hosting
another Flying With Diabetes day on 1
November. Meanwhile, he will have been
busy. Cairns' latest flying endeavour is to
try to set two new records this summer.
The first is to land in all 38 English Counties
between dawn and dusk, the second is to
lead a new formation world speed record
FLYING FIXTURE
together with six pilots with diabetes.
The Flying with Diabetes event is taking
place on Saturday 1 November and will
include latest news and talks from recordsetting pilots with diabetes and other
accomplished sportspeople with diabetes.
Attendees will also be able to view historic
aircraft on display and have the chance
to walk through the cabin of a Concorde
supersonic aircraft. Representatives of
JDRF will be at the event.11am-3.30pm,
Duxford Airfield Imperial War Museum.
Register here.
COCKPIT KIT STOP
Because he takes part in competitive
flying, Douglas keeps an eye on his
glucose levels with the all-in-one AccuChek Mobile blood glucose system.
Mr Cameron said, "I am delighted to see
so a local employer bringing exciting new
technology forward to improve the quality
of life of people living with diabetes."
On his visit he met with one of the
members of staff who has had Type 1 for
20 years and who had been wearing one
of the new sensors. For more information
on these new sensors, please see feature
Coming Soon on p. 4.