Today, I feature the second part of my conversation with Christel Marchand Aprigliano. In this episode, we talk about one of the hot button issues of the day– insulin pricing.
We cover a recent meeting between insulin makers and diabetes advocates, and developments on pricing announced by two of those insulin makers since that meeting took place in November of 2016.
Reference Material – Click below for more information on this topic
Christel Marchand Aprigliano writes about diabetes at: ThePerfectD.com
You can connect with Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition, or DPAC, at: DiabetesPAC.org
I can’t tell you how excited I am to finally share a conversation with Christel Marchand Aprigliano. In three parts.
Christel, as I mention in the introduction, is a force in the diabetes world. Until there isn’t a diabetes world any longer, we can only hope to have advocates like her who get in the trenches and fight for the things that are important to those of us living with this disease.
In part two of our conversation, you’ll hear about one of the hot topics of the day, insulin pricing, where roles are slightly reversed, and I’m the feisty one. Part three will cover Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition, and how using the easy button can help you get your diabetes advocacy started, and up your diabetes advocacy, all in less than two minutes. Those episodes are still to come, and you’re not going to want to miss them.
Today, we talk about the unique gathering known as the Diabetes UnConference. Christel covers all the things that make the UnConference life-affirming. We discuss the No Social Media policy that exists during the sessions on Saturday and Sunday, and why that is so important to attendees. And Christel admits that her intentions in creating the UnConference were not entirely altruistic (her words, not mine). She needs it just as much as the rest of us.
If you’re in a place in your walk with diabetes where you could use some space to vent, or learn, share, and meet new friends, whether diabetes has been in your life for days, weeks, months, or years, this is the podcast episode you’ve been waiting to hear.
Full disclosure: I will be a facilitator at the Diabetes UnConference in both locations this year. I am not compensated in any way for this interview, except in the good vibes that come with going one on one with a person whom you admire and trust and learn from at every turn.
Reference Material – Click below for more information on this topic
Christel Marchand Aprigliano writes about life with diabetes at: theperfectd.com
Find out everything about the Diabetes UnConference (and read experiences from attendees too), by going to: DiabetesUnConference.com
The Diabetes UnConference will be held February 10, 11, and 12 at the Westin Las Vegas. Register by January 24 by going to: DiabetesUnConference.com/register
Diabetes By The Numbers is back, with the first in what I hope will be a series of episodes in which I’ll investigate healthcare in countries other than my own.
Helping me get started is Mariana Gomez. Mariana is a super diabetes advocate, through the diabetes community in Mexico City where she lives, as a writer at her personal blog, dulcesitosparami.com, and as Community and Social Media Assistant for the Hispanic Market at Diabetes Hands Foundation.
In addition to that, she’s a licensed practicing psychologist. And oh, by the way, she’s been living with Type 1 diabetes for over 30 years.
Mariana is uniquely qualified to discuss diabetes at any time, and certainly qualified to discuss the state of healthcare for those living with diabetes in Mexico.
As I said, this is the first in what I hope will be a series of interviews on healthcare from a number of countries. If you’re living in a country outside of the USA and you’d like to talk about healthcare where you live, please send me an e-mail at happymedium[dot]net[at]gmail[dot]com and let’s talk.
Reference Material – Click below for more information on this topic
Mariana Gomez is Community and Social Media Assistant for the Hispanic Market at Diabetes Hands Foundation: diabeteshandsfoundation.org
You will often see Mariana at DHF’s Spanish-language community site: estudiabetes.org
About three weeks ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the MiniMed 670g, Medtronic’s hybrid closed loop system, for people with diabetes over the age of 14.
This news has generated a lot of excitement, and also a lot of questions. I was fortunate enough to connect a little over a week ago with Karrie Hawbaker and Michael Hill of Medtronic Diabetes (which is why then I was saying the approval was two weeks ago), who went on the record about how the 670g works, the new CGM sensor associated with the 670g, and the upgrade pathway for existing Medtronic customers. Which is still a little murky, but they recognize that every customer is different, and they’re willing to talk to you about it. There’s also a little at the end about how Medtronic is leveraging IBM’s Watson supercomputer to crunch data.
Here then, is everything you want to know about the 670g. Thanks Karrie and Mike!
Reference Material – Click below for more information on this topic
Karrie Hawbaker is Senior Manager of Social Media for Medtronic Diabetes, and Michael Hill is Vice President of Global Marketing in the Intensive Insulin Management business unit at Medtronic: medtronicdiabetes.com
If you’re an existing Medtronic pumper, and you’re interested in upgrading to the 670g in the spring, here is all the information on the Priority Access Program: medtronicdiabetes.com/products/priority-access
Today begins one of my favorite times of the year. Every year, Diabetes Hands Foundation sponsors the Big Blue Test. Now until November 14 (World Diabetes Day), you and your loved ones, plus anyone else you know, are encouraged to get moving. And log the results. And help diabetes groups doing amazing work to build community and help others.
Here’s how it works: first, check your blood glucose. Not living with diabetes? Skip this step. Then get out and get moving for 14 to 20 minutes or more. You can walk, run, swim, bike, play badminton, ride a Big Wheel, whatever. Then do another BG check (or skip it if you don’t live with diabetes) and log the results at BigBlueTest.org. Or make it easy on yourself and download the Big Blue Test app on your iPhone or Android device, and do the same.
For the next month, every Big Blue Test logged will result in a $3.00(US) donation, split evenly among three wonderful diabetes non-profits:
Three fantastic organizations providing help, education, and support to those living with or at risk of living with diabetes.
Today, Mike Lawson, Senior Director of Programs and Marketing for Diabetes Hands Foundation, joins me to talk everything Big Blue Test, including a little about this year’s grantees, the goals for this year, and a new way for exercise groups to get involved in the Big Blue Test initiative. Have a listen, then click on the links below.
Reference Material – Click below for more information on this topic
Mike Lawson is Senior Director of Programming and Marketing for Diabetes Hands Foundation: diabeteshandsfoundation.org
I have no medical training. If you consider anything written here as medical, legal, financial, or any other kind of advice, you’re out of your mind. Please speak to a learned professional before making any changes that might affect your health. Any of the original content found on this site is my property and should not be reproduced, copied, or otherwise used without the author’s expressed written consent.
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