16
NEWS
Introducing the T1D Index
The first-of-its-kind index will raise awareness of the
burden and unmet need of people living with Type 1
diabetes around the world.
J
DRF, the leading global type
1 diabetes research and
advocacy organisation, has
announced the launch of the
Type 1 Diabetes Index (T1D Index).
The T1D Index is a first-of-its-kind
data simulation tool that measures
the human and public health impact
of the Type 1 diabetes in every
country across the globe. Until now,
there have been wide gaps in the
data about the incidence and impact
of Type 1 diabetes. Leveraging data
and insights from the T1D Index can
help change the lives of people living
with Type 1 diabetes by identifying
attainable country-by-country
interventions including timely
diagnosis, accessible care and funding
research that could lead to cures.
The T1D Index and accompanying
research has been published in The
Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.
Aaron Kowalski, JDRF CEO, said, "As
a member of the T1D community, I
know many are not as fortunate as I
am to have the resources necessary
to live a healthy and fulfilled life.
This is why I am so proud that
significant progress has been made
to understand T1D's global impact
through the T1D Index. We are calling
on government and public health
decision makers throughout the
world to utilise the tool to identify
and implement interventions that can
change the trajectory of T1D."
Karen Addington, Chief Executive
at JDRF UK said, ''JDRF has always
funded the best research in the world
beyond borders. We understand that
we have a global responsibility to
the Type 1 diabetes community. This
new, robust analysis of the impact of
T1D puts us in a stronger position to
demand greater access to treatments
for people with Type 1, no matter
where in the world they may live."
Key partners
JDRF collaborated with key partners
and experts around the world to
develop the T1D Index, using the
results from a global survey of more
than 500 endocrinologists and 400
publications to simulate the state of
Type 1 diabetes globally and at the
country level. The Index uniquely
illuminates the human burden of
Type 1 diabetes by highlighting
'missing people,' which is the number
of people who would still be alive
today if they had not died early
due to complications from Type 1
diabetes, and 'healthy years lost,'
which represents time lost to illhealth,
disability or early death from
living with Type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes has a profound
human, emotional and financial
burden for those who live with
it and prevalence is on the rise.
Simulations from the T1D Index have
led to the identification of four key
interventions that could change the
current trajectory for Type 1 diabetes
and its impact on people around the
world:
1. Timely diagnosis: enabling
better education and training
for medical professionals to
accurately diagnose Type 1
diabetes.
2. Insulin and strips: creating
barrier-free access to insulin and
blood glucose testing strips. The
hope is that the global population
of people with Type 1 diabetes
has access to insulin and testing
strips from 2023, and coaching to
self-manage the condition.
JDRF has always
funded the best
research in the
world beyond
borders. We
understand that
we have a global
responsibility
to the Type
1 diabetes
community.
This new, robust
analysis of the
impact of T1D
puts us in a
stronger position
to demand
greater access to
treatments for
people with Type
1, no matter where
in the world they
may live.
~ Karen Addington