TE AWAMUTU NEWS | 1
THURSDAY OCTOBER 3, 2024
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OCTOBER 3, 2024
A win for diabetics By Mary Anne Gill
Waipā type one diabetic Garry Dyet and three other Waikato-based members of an advocacy group are hailing Pharmac’s decision to provide access to funded continuous glucose monitors from this week. Dyet, Waikato University social scientist Hamish Crocket, MetOcean scientific systems engineer Tim Gunn and Paralympics New Zealand Waikato cycling hub coach Damian Wiseman are part of nonprofit Nightscout New Zealand. Two years ago, The News highlighted their plea for Pharmac to provide access to modern technologies for managing type one diabetes. The four wear watches and have software on their phones – a do it yourself artificial pancreas system via open-source software developed by Gunn - which monitors their insulin levels. Dyet was then Waipā District Council chief executive but has since retired. He was thrilled with the Pharmac announcement and referred comment to Crocket who chairs Nightscout. Type one diabetes is a lifelong auto immune condition where people must maintain a round-the-clock eye on their sugar levels. About a tenth of the 278,000 people diagnosed with diabetes in New Zealand – type two is a blood glucose disorder usually associated with lifestyle choices – have the type one variant which has no cure. Pharmac will fund monitors which previously cost up to $4000 a year. Crocket was “elated” and said Pharmac had listened to feedback about eligibility and renewal criteria and removed all reference to glycaemic levels, a way of ranking food containing carbohydrates. “This ensures people won’t lose access to these essential tools for diabetes selfmanagement simply because they are
experiencing a time in which their glucose levels are elevated,” he said. The government agency, which decides which medicines and related products taxpayers pay for, has also allowed for three months of prescription items rather than one. “This is a nice addition which will save everyone time and effort in their diabetes management.” Diabetes specialists must agree that diabetic patients will benefit from an
automated insulin delivery system, said Crocket. “In our view, this means if you want (the system) as part of your diabetes selfmanagement, you should have access to one.” Diabetics can get to choose which of two brands available they want to use. One is pump based and the other is phone based. “This provides substantial choice to users and caters both to those who want to be able to leave their phone behind and still have a
functioning system and those who want to keep their pump out of sight and drive their system from their phone.” Pharmac’s announcement ensures 12,000 type one diabetics will get funding in the next 12 months with the number expected to grow to 18,000 over the next five years. Its decision follows a consultation in March between clinicians, advocacy groups, suppliers and consumers to inform Pharmac of the best ways to support people living with type one diabetes.
On the watch: from left, Garry Dyet, Tim Gunn, Damian Wiseman and Hamish Crocket were pictured when The News highlighted their plea to Pharmac two years ago. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
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