Current Use
The
artificial pancreas is currently only being used under close monitored clinical
trials. The University of Virginia has conducted clinical trials on the
artificial pancreas along side with many other researchers in various
locations. These developments were funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research
Foundation, which is also known as JDRF. The clinical trial that included an overnight
stay, proved to be “incredibly exciting” according to Dr. Aaron Kowalski, a researcher at the University of Virginia, because
the “success in an outpatient, real-world
setting is an enormous and encouraging milestone.”(University of Virginia’s artificial pancreas
real-world success for diabetes patients.) The successes in these clinical trials allow
for JDRF to continue with the ongoing research that the University of Virginia
is conducting. Dr. Aaron Kowalski said “there are no fully automated insulin delivery systems
available on the market, and that's why JDRF has made accelerating the
development and delivery of these
technologies a priority,” (University of Virginia’s artificial pancreas
real-world success for diabetes patients.). He also stated that “This
latest research milestone is incredibly exciting and shows us that the first
generation of an artificial pancreas is no longer a
dream." (University of Virginia’s artificial pancreas real-world success
for diabetes patients.).
Potential Life Enhancer
The artificial pancreas is a potential life
enhancer for patients with diabetes. It would allow patients to not have a
worry about future life complications that result from bad maintenance in blood
glucose levels for diabetics. The complications that may result include blindness,
kidney failure and amputations. The artificial pancreas being in its final
stages of clinical trial this fall gives hope to diabetics to look forward to
an easier life, giving them an opportunity to focus on their personal lives,
relationships, education and making a difference in the world by not needing to
worry about what their blood glucose reading is at constantly. The artificial
pancreas has the potential to benefit diabetic lives that are constantly
affected by such a disease.
