Artificial pancreas could transform lives of diabetics

A HIGH-TeCH device no bigger than a wallet could transform the lives of type 1 diabetes patients, research suggests.

Worn on a belt, the ‘artificial pancreas’ was found to improve blood sugar control by 17 per cent. The gadget, trialled on 40 patients by Cambridge university, monitors blood sugar levels via a sensor beneath their tummy – then automatically pumps in the correct amount of insulin.

This would spell an end to painful finger prick testing and injections that dominate the lives of type 1 diabetics. The device was also shown to work for children as young as six – a crucial finding for a condition which often strikes in childhood.

The trial, published in the Lancet and funded by diabetes charity JdRF, needs to be repeated on a larger scale. But experts hope the artificial pancreas could be available on the NHS within a few years.

Study leader Professor Roman Hovorka, of Cambridge university, said: ‘Results from our study together with those from previous studies support the adoption of closed-loop technology in clinical practice across all age groups.’