26KIT
Type 2 too?
Can people with Type 2 diabetes benefit from using
continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)?
NICE Guideline (NG28*)
was first published in
December 2015 and
updated in June 2022.
According to this, 3.5% of those
diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes
would qualify for CGM use.
Speaking on behalf Dexcom,
Shay Speakman-Brown, who heads
up market access for the company
across the UK, explains, "It is our
intention that if you need it, you
should be offered it."
One of the main barriers to access
is a lack of awareness that people
with T2D can ask to go on CGM
to see if they qualify. "The task of
raising awareness is not an easy one,"
she continues, "people with Type 2
are often judged by how they look
and many still wrongly believe that
people with Type 2 is pretty much
We are really keen
to show what
the tech can do.
Empowerment is
an important asset
when managing
the condition. ~
Shay SpeakmanBrown
caused by a lifestyle choice. Our task
therefore is to educate many people,
including those in government, as to
the true nature of the condition. In
part, some of this does involve wider
education about the specific impact
of food and exercise on control."
Any regular readers of this
magazine will know all too well
that the population of people living
with Type 1 diabetes have been the
initial core market for CGMs, due to
the fact that the insulin they need
to inject or infuse insulin, which
can lead to potentially dangerous
hypoglycaemia. It meant that Type
1s had a strong chance to access
the technology, especially in
recent years.
Having said that, much can be
argued about the value it can bring
to those living with Type 2 diabetes,
and potentially living with other comorbidities,
such as heart disease.
They also need increased access to
interventions that can improve their
outcomes too.
Getting the facts
Based on research, Dexcom updated
its Dexcom ONE sensor to launch
its Dexcom ONE+ earlier this year,
which is designed for the needs of
T2Ds in mind. It is now available
in the UK, as well as in France,
Netherlands and Poland. It is now
able to be worn not just on arms, but
on the stomach too.
"We are really keen to show what
the tech can do," says SpeakmanBrown.
"Empowerment is an
important asset when managing the
condition. It could be said that T2s
are not so 'out and proud' as the T1
community, but our argument is 'try
it and see'."
In a study by TL Clark (et al)
called, The Potential Impact of
Continuous Glucose Monitoring Use
on Diabetes-Related Attitudes and
Behaviours in Adults with Type 2
Diabetes: A Qualitative Investigation
of the Patient Experience, it was
shown that 100% of the study
participants that used a Dexcom
sensor made a dietary change, and
that 91% felt empowered.
Another study, referred to
as Steno2Tech was undertaken
in Denmark and compared selfmonitoring
of blood glucose (SMBG,
using an old-fashioned blood test
meter) with CGM data and the
impact on participants' HbA1c levels.
The study showed that twice as many
Dexcom CGM users compared to