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As a charity, we rely on donations to survive. If you’re able, please make a donation to IDDT using the form below – we’d really appreciate it.

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Why donate to IDDT?

Registered with the Fundraising Regulator We offer support and information to people with diabetes, their families and healthcare professionals through a wide range of booklets about the various aspects of living with diabetes. The information is unbiased and independent of our funding sources because we are one of the very few medical charities with a policy of not accepting pharmaceutical industry funding. We are funded entirely by voluntary donations and these donations help us to continue with our work. We are very grateful for any help you can give.

Please help us to continue our work

If you would like to make a donation to IDDT choosing to Gift Aid your donation will allow us to reclaim the basic rate of income tax paid on the cost of your donation. For every £10.00 that is donated to IDDT in this way we can reclaim an extra £2.50. If UK tax is deducted from any of your income, ask IDDT for a declaration form and when you receive it, post it back to us and we do all the rest. Please show your support by making a donation to IDDT now, we’d really appreciate it.

How to donate

You can make a donation to IDDT using the button below, which will open a secure PayPal window. You can make a one-off or regular donation via PayPal or a debit or credit card

Legacies

Thinking about making or updating your will? Why not consider leaving us a gift to help us continue our work? You can order our free Reasons for making your Will leaflet here.

A donation in memory of a loved one helps people affected by diabetes. Order our free A gift in memory leaflet.

IDDT Conference, Kettering, Saturday 6th October 2018

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IDDT Conference, Kettering, Saturday 6th October 2018

IDDT conference 2018

‘Diabetes and the Media, Myths and Misunderstandings’

Dr Laurence Gerlis,
Dr Gerlis has been a Trustee and Medical Adviser to IDDT since its formation in 1994 and has played a big part in maintaining the availability of animal insulins. He also told the conference of his brother’s diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes at the age of 13 and how his family have lived with diabetes.

In his presentation, he highlighted many of the false claims made in the media such as ‘a cure for diabetes’, ‘media diet issues’,’ food content description issues’ and how issues reported about diabetes are often inaccurate, even point blank wrong or as he described them as “simply bonkers”. This adds to the public’s confusion especially when there is no clarification of the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes which can be exploited by the pharma industry, the press and government. 

Dr Gerlis ended by saying that it is time to change the terminology as Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes have different causes, different symptoms and different management. He would like to see Insulin dependent diabetes being a special case to guarantee NHS funding for state-of-the-art treatment, such as with the FreeStyle Libre because unlike many other conditions, it is a life-long affecting children and adults and it has important complications. Treatment should not be at the whim of Clinical Commissioning Groups!

The delegates recognised the points he was making as many of us sometimes feel frustrated and angry with media reporting.

Neuroglycaemia

Dr Gary Adams
Dr Adams gave a description of patient and carer experiences of people living with diabetes over the last 25 – 30 years. His talk highlighted the experiences and needs of ‘supportive others’, the families and friends of people with diabetes or ‘the carers’, especially of those taking insulin. 

He pointed out that the brain only works when supplied with sugar in the blood, so when a hypo occurs this sugar is reduced and the brain malfunctions. This can show itself through personality and/or behaviour changes. Not only does the carer have to handle the hypo but also the behavioural changes which can be very upsetting. While understanding that the person who is hypo is totally unaware of their behaviour, it can lead to stress, fear and anxiety for the carer. 

Dr Adams highlighted that carers often know little about diabetes and have to learn along the way but they need education about diabetes and emotional support. The NHS education should include patients and carers and should include information about diet, exercise, eating times as well as dealing with hypos and any other problems that arise.

Many of the carers in the audience identified with so much of what Dr Adam said. Jenny Hirst pointed out, that the sad thing is that the situation has not really improved for carers and families of people with diabetes in the 40 plus years that she has been involved. So many people go unsupported and suffer stress, fear and anxiety some of which could be avoided with recognition of the role and needs of family carers.

Thanks
We would like to thank our two speakers for their excellent presentations. We must also thank Dr Mabel Blades, Dr Gary Adams and John Birbeck for leading the discussion groups as the delegates all appreciated having the time to discuss the issues that are important to them. It has to be said though that the postcode lottery of availability of the FreeStyle Libre was raised at every opportunity!

Personal importation of pork insulin in the US no longer possible

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IDDT United States

Welcome to IDDT – US
Global systematic discontinuation of animal insulins
Personal importation of pork insulin in the US no longer possible

 

Back to IDDT International
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Personal importation of pork insulin in the US no longer possible

From December 2018, people in the US will not be able to import pork insulin from Wockhardt UK.  

This is due to stringent Regulatory Controls, leaving Wockhardt UK with no choice but to discontinue supply of Hypurin Porcine & Bovine insulin which is directly supplied to the patients in the USA on a “Name Patient basis”.

On November 30th 2018, Wockhardt issued the following statement which offers reassurance to people in the UK who use Hypurin® porcine insulin.

Wockhardt UK Ltd – Supporting Diabetic Patient Choice

Wockhardt UK has been committed to the provision of Hypurin® Porcine Insulin for many years, recognising the medical needs and preferences of patients with diabetes.

At Wockhardt UK, we firmly believe that maintaining freedom of choice for diabetic patients is important and we are committed to continue the supply of our Hypurin® Porcine Insulin range to the UK and Canada for the foreseeable future.

Hypurin® Porcine Insulin is available in 10ml vials and 3ml cartridges and are an alternative to human or analogue insulins.

Here is the link on Wockhardt’s website:
http://www.wockhardt.co.uk/about-wockhardt/wockhardt-news/hypurin%C2%AE-porcine-insulin-uk-canada-commitment-301118.aspx

Hypurin pork insulin – assurance of continued availability

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IDDT Canada

Welcome to IDDT Canada
Global systematic withdrawal of animal insulins
Wockhardt UK pork insulin’s are available in Canada
Hypurin pork insulin – assurance of continued availability

 

Back to IDDT International
horizontaldots

Hypurin pork insulin – assurance of continued availability

From December 2018, people in the US will not be able to import pork insulin from Wockhardt UK.  

This is due to stringent Regulatory Controls, leaving Wockhardt UK with no choice but to discontinue supply of Hypurin Porcine & Bovine insulin which is directly supplied to the patients in the USA on a “Name Patient basis”.

On November 30th 2018, Wockhardt issued the following statement which offers reassurance to people in the UK who use Hypurin® porcine insulin.

Wockhardt UK Ltd – Supporting Diabetic Patient Choice

Wockhardt UK has been committed to the provision of Hypurin® Porcine Insulin for many years, recognising the medical needs and preferences of patients with diabetes.

At Wockhardt UK, we firmly believe that maintaining freedom of choice for diabetic patients is important and we are committed to continue the supply of our Hypurin® Porcine Insulin range to the UK and Canada for the foreseeable future.

Hypurin® Porcine Insulin is available in 10ml vials and 3ml cartridges and are an alternative to human or analogue insulins.

Here is the link on Wockhardt’s website:
http://www.wockhardt.co.uk/about-wockhardt/wockhardt-news/hypurin%C2%AE-porcine-insulin-uk-canada-commitment-301118.aspx

Newsletters Archive

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Welcome to IDDT’s Newsletter archive. This section provides you access to our Newsletters from over the years.

2022 Newsletters

2021 Newsletters

2020 Newsletters

2019 Newsletters

2018 Newsletters

2017 Newsletters

2016 Newsletters

2015 Newsletters

2014 Newsletters

2007 Newsletters

2006 Newsletters

2005 Newsletters

2004 Newsletters

2003 Newsletters

2002 Newsletters

2001 Newsletters

2000 Newsletters

1999 Newsletters

Newsletters

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Welcome to the Newsletter section of IDDT International. This section will provide you with an instant reference to previous IDDT Newsletters.

We also off audio recordings of our most recent publications for the blind and visually impaired – click here to access them.

2024 Newsletters

March

2023 Newsletters

December
September
June
March

Older Newsletters can be found in the IDDT Newsletter archive

Annual Reports

Annual Report and Accounts 2022
IDDT Annual Report and Signed Accounts 2022

 

Audit Findings 2019
IDDT Audit Findings

 

Annual General Meetings & Reports
IDDT Annual Report 2017
IDDT Annual Report 2016
IDDT Accounts 2015
IDDT Annual Report 2015

Parents Supplements
Supplement 1

IDDT Get-Together: Report

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Kettering Park Hotel, Saturday 23 October 2021

The staff and Trustees were delighted to welcome so many attendees to our meeting in October. It felt great to be back! We understand that many of our members still felt wary of travelling and being in a group, so here is a summary of what we covered.

After a brief Annual General Meeting, Jenny Hirst welcomed everyone and announced changes to the day’s programme caused by illness.

IDDT AGM - 2021

The first keynote address was given by Dr Mabel Blades, Dietician, and was entitled:

Healthy Eating and You

Dr Blades sympathised with many of us who have found dietary advice confusing, or who have been put on diets without discussion which have made us feel unwell. She simplified dietary guidance by pointing us towards the Eatwell Guide for the general population and recommended:

  • 2 litres of fluid per day
  • 5 x 80g portions of fruit or vegetables per day (for gut health and a better immune system)
  • A moderate amount of carbohydrates containing fibre
  • Adequate protein: we need more as we age. This can include pulses
  • Have minimal confectionary and sugar, but don’t cut this out completely
  • Choose monounsaturated fats like rapeseed oil (‘vegetable oil’ is usually this) or olive oil.

There were some interesting points from the floor, including side effects from very low-calorie diets (850 kcal per day). These push the body into starvation mode which increases hunger hormones and the metabolic rate which can mean being programmed to overeat for a considerable period after the diet has finished. The point was also raised that the advice given on a well-known insulin:food course to “Eat what you like and just take enough insulin to cover the carb” was unhelpful for most insulin users as it just leads to weight gain and swinging blood sugars. If a predictable and minimal amount of carbohydrate is eaten at every meal it can be simpler to get insulin doses right and there is not such a risk of weight gain.

IDDT Discussion Groups - 2021

Discussion Groups

(a) Getting the most from the NHS (Gill Coleman)

The main points covered in the morning and afternoon groups were about poor communication (between healthcare professionals, and between the professionals and patient); not being able to access checks and information during Covid restrictions; and frustrations with being told to use technology – if you don’t! Tips were to get involved with the local PPG; find out about private services (e.g. chiropody) which are often cheaper than you think; and always prepare for appointments, whether telephone or face-to-face, by communicating clearly what you need to get from the appointment; repeating back any advice or plan to check understanding; and by agreeing what to do if the plan doesn’t work.

(b) Diabetes Management and Medication (facilitated by Jenny and Martin Hirst)

The group was made up of people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes but there were many points that were common to all the people in the group irrespective of their type of diabetes. While understanding that the pandemic has put the NHS under pressure, there was concern that people have not been receiving their annual routine checks and how this would affect their future risks of complications. Concern was also expressed that the increasing use of technology for consultations adversely affected people without internet access, such as the elderly and those with limited income.

It was clear from points raised from the floor that the care and education of people with diabetes varied considerably according to where people live, so the postcode lottery still exists. It was proposed that IDDT leads lobbying the Government to improve the services for people with diabetes. Jenny explained that it was no longer possible to lobby nationally for better care, treatment and education because the decisions are made at local level, eg CCGs so it was suggested that IDDT helps members to lobby at local level.

(c) Diabetes-related stress, anxiety and depression (facilitated by Anne Aubin)

Having diabetes can feel like having a frustrating full-time job. It can be easy to lose motivation to self-care if the costs seem to outweigh benefits. There is triple the rate of depression in people with diabetes in comparison to the general population. Bearing this in mind, we looked at how much we felt in charge of our lives, rather than diabetes, or its treatment, being in charge. This led to us looking at setting specific realistic targets to motivate us, with a clear action plan, that we felt we could achieve 4 out of 5 times. Tips were also shared on fitting into our daily lives the things that do make us feel good.

(d) Carers – we live with diabetes too (facilitated by John Birbeck)

Group members found it helpful to have a space to discuss their issues and to find support from one another.

(e) Associated auto-immune conditions (led by Jenny Hirst)

We defined auto-immune as “when the body’s immune system attacks its own healthy cells”. Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune condition but Type 2 is not. The Trust gets more enquiries about Coeliac disease than any other associated condition, but discussion group members also spoke about thyroid problems, frozen shoulder, rheumatoid arthritis, and vitiligo. Dr Blades joined the group and did not advise the “anti-inflammatory” diets which are being touted at the moment, but suggested trying to lose weight, particularly if you have joint problems, drinking plenty of fluids, take Vit D supplements and have a diet rich in fruit and vegetables.

Keynote address: Health Sustainability in People with Diabetes by Abban Qayyum, Senior Specialist Physiotherapist

Abban Qayyum

Abban kept us wide awake after a splendid lunch with a fun quiz about the body, before focussing on how we store and use glucose as fuel. He reminded us of the huge benefits of exercise to those with Type 2 diabetes. Any activity increases blood glucose control and decreases the requirement for medication. After only two weeks on an intensive exercise regime there are clear benefits. Dedication to a long-term endurance activity improves insulin sensitivity. He recommended strengthening exercises, aerobic exercise to work the heart and lungs, and stretching to maintain or increase flexibility at the joints and to improve balance. Some examples of exercise were Tai Chi, yoga, massage and gardening: it’s not all about buying an exercise bike! Abban also reminded us of the improvements in mental well-being that come from regular exercise.

Questions from the floor led to advice about non-jarring exercise if you have retinopathy; overcoming the first hurdle by just getting started; carefully monitoring blood glucose as hypos can be a problem during exercise (but missed if your hypo signs are feeling hot and sweaty with an increased heart rate) and up to 24 hours afterwards (as exercise has used up your stored glycogen). It was also recommended to wear good socks and shoes and monitor feet regularly; and that you do not start vigorous exercise if you have ketones. A point was raised that there are published guidelines on reducing insulin and increasing carbs depending on the intensity and duration of planned exercise. Some insulin pumps have an exercise function that reduces insulin. Finally, Abban recommended the We are Undefeatable Campaign which has lots of advice on exercise for people with long-term health conditions.

Closing address by Jenny Hirst

Jenny reminded us that it is 100 years since the discovery of insulin as a treatment, and that IDDT was formed to fight for ongoing access to different kinds of insulin: especially animal insulin.

Finally, Jenny thanked all those involved in making the day a success and the staff for their work for both the organisation of the Event and their work during the year.

Feedback on the Get-Together has been very positive with comments such as “very informative and reassuring”, “excellent day and super venue” and “looking forward to 2022”.

And on that note, the staff and Trustees are also looking forward to another meeting next Autumn: keep an eye out for news.

 

 

 

‘Your 9 Key Checks’, What They Are And Why They Are Important

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Many people, whether they have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, do not realise that there are 9 key health checks/tests which they are entitled to at least each year or why these are necessary.

These are laid down in three documents:

  • The NHS Constitution.
  • The NICE Quality Standards for Adults with Diabetes.
  • The Equality Act 2010

While the above three documents in themselves do not specify which tests/checks people with diabetes should have, they lay down the basis for a person’s right to have them. Download the IDDT publication ‘‘Your 9 Key Checks’, What They Are And Why They Are Important’ to find out more.

Your 9 Key Checks

Thank you for your donation!

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Thank you for donating to IDDT

Registered with the Fundraising Regulator Thank you for your donation – we really appreciate it! The money you donated will help us to continue to offer support and information to people with diabetes, their families and healthcare professionals through a wide range of booklets about the various aspects of living with diabetes. The information is unbiased and independent of our funding sources because we are one of the very few medical charities with a policy of not accepting pharmaceutical industry funding. We are funded entirely by voluntary donations and these donations help us to continue with our work.

We are very grateful to you for donating to IDDT.

Legacies

Thinking about making or updating your will? Why not consider leaving us a gift to help us continue our work? You can order our free Reasons for making your Will leaflet or enquire about our Free Will Writing Service here.

A donation in memory of a loved one helps people affected by diabetes. Order our free A gift in memory leaflet.

Forxiga (dapagliflozin) 5mg should no longer be used for the treatment of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

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AstraZeneca, in agreement with the European Medicines Agency and the [National Competent Authority], has made the following announcement:

Effective 25 October 2021 Forxiga (dapagliflozin) 5mg is no longer authorised for the treatment of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and should no longer be used in this population. This is based on Astra Zeneca’s decision to remove the T1DM indication for dapagliflozin 5mg.

If this affects you, then please discuss this with your consultant or healthcare team.

 

ALERT: Batch of metformin oral solution recalled by MHRA due to nitrosamine impurity

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HM Government – Press Releases
25/08/2021

Patients should not stop any treatments without consulting their doctor or pharmacist.

A recall notice for one batch (10,452 units) of metformin oral solution has today been issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as a precautionary measure after it was found to contain a nitrosamine impurity above accepted levels.

Click here to read more

 

InDependent Diabetes Trust
IDDT