The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved teplizumab (called Tzield) as the UK’s first immunotherapy for Type 1 diabetes. The drug is licensed for adults and children aged 8 years or older with stage 2 Type 1 diabetes to delay progression to stage 3.
On August 5th 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) released updated guidance recommending that healthcare providers offer structured, ongoing support to patients after they complete obesity treatment or stop taking weight-loss medications.
Research shows that many people regain weight after stopping treatment if they don’t get the right help, which can negatively affect both their physical and mental health.
Members, staff and speakers arrived at the Kettering Spa Hotel on a glorious and colourful Autumn morning. After informal chats over coffee, we started with the Trust’s annual general meeting.
Please click here to read a summary of what we covered throughout the day
The JCVI have stated that there is now a high population immunity to COVID-19, additional COVID-19 doses provide very limited, if any, protection against infection and any subsequent onward transmission of infection.
In the UK, the government has therefore decided that, from Autumn 2025, only the following groups of people will be offered a COVID-19 vaccination:
- adults aged 75 years and over
- residents in a care home for older adults
- people aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed (for more information see the NHS website: COVID-19 vaccine – NHS)
On 5th June 2025, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a press release to remind women with diabetes also taking the popular medicines for weight loss to use safe and effective contraception. In some cases, it is advised that women stop the medication at least two months before trying to get pregnant.
The GLP-1 medicines brand names include Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, Saxenda and Victoza and the key points are
Click here for more details
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is aware of these discontinuations and has already issued Medicines Supply Notifications to healthcare professionals for some of them.
- NovoRapid FlexTouch is being discontinued in March 2025
- Insulatard Penfill 100units/ml 3ml cartridges are being discontinued
- Levemir is being discontinued
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is asking patients who use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) or insulin pump to report any safety problem with their device through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme without delay.
Although it is still only Autumn, the flu season is coming and people with diabetes are at increased risk of developing complications of flu and difficulties with the impact flu may have on their diabetes. Flu is a respiratory virus and causes symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose and can progress to more serious illnesses, such as pneumonia.
Please click here to read more about ‘flu, and how it can affect people with diabetes
IMPORTANT PRODUCT INFORMATION
(AutoPen Classic supplied by Owen Mumford)
You may be aware that Owen Mumford plan to discontinue their AutoPen Classic reusable, insulin delivery pens which are compatible with our following Hypurin (porcine insulin) products:
- Hypurin Porcine 30/70 Mix Cartridges – PL 29831/0119
- Hypurin Porcine Isophane Cartridges – PL 29831/0122
- Hypurin Porcine Neutral Cartridges – PL 29831/0124
Please note there is no immediate need for patients currently using Autopen Classic insulin pens to change their devices.
The deepening crisis in Ukraine means that there is an increasingly desperate need to help people trying to live with diabetes. It is hard to believe that not only are the people of Ukraine having to fight for their country and freedom, but they also are in desperate need all their diabetes supplies. As the bombing continues, pharmacies close, hospitals run out of supplies and supply routes targeted.
Update from Ukraine, July 2024
Thanks to the help of our members, healthcare professionals and many people who have become aware of the support we give to people with diabetes in Ukraine, we are still receiving lots of diabetes items.
We value all of the feedback left by our members and we want to say THANK YOU for all of your lovely comments!
To receive your information pack, become a member here
NICE recommends life changing technology is rolled out to people with type 1 diabetes
An announcement of the recommendations was made on 7 November 2023 at NICE’s annual conference in Manchester by NICE chief executive Dr Sam Roberts.
Thousands of people with type 1 diabetes could be offered wearable technology to help them manage their condition following the publication of final draft guidance by NICE.
This new booklet is designed to help you through some of the confusing and complicated aspects of diet and the reasons why, what, and how much we eat are so important for people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. It provides you with information about various diets, food labelling, weight loss, the importance of food groups and much more.
Semaglutide for early onset Type 1 diabetes – but a very small study…
In a small study involving only 10 people, semaglutide, a Type 2 drug, was given to people with Type 1 diabetes soon after the diagnosis. This led to no need for mealtime insulin in all patients and no need for basal insulin in most, along with improved glycaemic control. (The New England Journal of Medicine. September 2023)
Before building up our hopes, we have to recognise that this is a very small study and a much larger study is needed. In addition, we have to question whether there could be adverse effects.
On 9th May 2023, the Government and NHS announced an overhaul of primary care across England with the aim of making it easier for patients to contact their GP and end the 8am rush.
NHS patients in England with Type 1 diabetes are now eligible for a free continuous glucose monitor (CGM) after the health service secured a new ‘cost-effective’ deal.
Earlier this year, the NHS announced it would rollout CGM technology to everyone living with Type 1 diabetes as part of its ‘Long Term Plan’ to deliver world-class healthcare. Now a deal between the NHS and manufacturer DEXCOM means a CGM called the Dexcom ONE Real Time-Continuous Glucose Monitoring will soon be available on prescription to people with Type 1 diabetes.
More than 250,000 people living with type 1 diabetes are set to be offered new technology to help them manage their condition and at the same time reduce the need for finger prick testing by up to 50%, following new advice from NICE. New guidance from NICE has recommended the use of real-time continuous glucose monitoring (rtCGM) for adults and children living with type 1 diabetes for the first time. It will give them a continuous stream of real-time information on a smartphone about their current blood glucose level.
Tetris Pharma has announced that people living with diabetes in the UK now have access to Ogluo® (glucagon Pre-Filled Pen). This is the first ready-to-use, pre-mixed and pre-measured liquid glucagon injection to treat severe hypoglycaemia in adults, adolescents, and children aged two years and over.
IDDT’s Chief Executive, Martin Hirst, has written an article for this week’s Diabetes Times, regarding the level of misleading information and terminology regarding diabetes, freely available on the internet.
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