An Artificial Pancreas without the FDA

[D2Cat]

Actually the development of an artificial pancreas has been tossed around for over 10 years, but results come is small pieces and not a final product. So a few folks who have some personal interest in it's development, team up to actually build a usable artificial pancreas. It is not approved by the FDA. but it's being used by those that developed it and their families. It can't be bought or sold, but you can build one. It's an interesting story.

https://expmag.com/2019/11/the-diabetes-patients-who-hacked-a-pancreas/?utm_source=pocket-newtab

 

[sheepfarmer]

What a great story of people problem solving! Love it!

 

[D2Cat]

Sheepfarmer, an interesting part of that story is the insulin pump they were using to modify was made by Medtronic, a major company in the manufacturing of IP's. They had a model 508 that has since been updated by several models, kind of like cell phones. When one has an IP the ins. company may not require them to trade in for a new model, so that pump was out there laying around to be used for a back up.

As this group developed their product and the word got out, folks were offering up to $500 for an obsolete pump. Then the word got back to the mfg and they started requiring all old models be turned in. Then, I heard Medtronic was hurrying to modify electronic circuits to curtail this groups activity.

I'm satisfied those electronic guru's will come up with something, even if they go overseas to manufacturers there with less regulations.

One thing for sure, it puts the manufactures in high gear to get a solution faster.

 

[m.t.hands]

very interesting

 

[Tughill Tom]

Very Cool! I hope that they Copyright all Software and get a Patent on it. Also get it in front of every Big Pharma CO. out there, they'll would jump on it. After all the heavy lifting as been done.
Let them do the Clinical Trails and document on a FDA fast track.

 

[sdk1968]

wow if you can actually do that ..... maybe you can save yourself from pancreatic cancer!

this would be an amazing feat to accomplish!

 

[skeets]

It will go no place until somebody's pockets get filled first, and children is how the game works

 

[D2Cat]

There have been hundreds of them built. The plans are readily available. There are testimonies from parents of very young users as well as adults who are users declaring how well they work. I don't think this team of developers are selling out. They did it for their loved ones.

If someone does not want to build this particular unit others are doing similar things.

Here's a link to a tool someone from Australia developed and is offering to others. https://predictbgl.com/

 

[D2Cat]

wow if you can actually do that ..... maybe you can save yourself from pancreatic cancer!

this would be an amazing feat to accomplish!

Very few insulin dependent diabetics suffer from pancreatic cancer.

 

[sheepfarmer]

Well the other way around ... if you get pancreatic cancer and have your pancreas removed, you automatically have diabetes that has to be managed, and these pumps and sensors would sure help with it. Still no picnic since pancreas also secretes digestive enzymes and other things like glucagon, but if the alternative is sure death it is worth a shot.

 

[skeets]

No cat what I was saying is that they wont be approved by the gubbermint til somebody in the FDA pockets are full