With the New Year right around the nook, we're guardianship up our tradition of reviewing what made this past year one to remember in the Diabetes World.

Of class, we've all endured the continuing touch of the COVID-19 pandemic, from overrun hospitals to economic fallout to cancelled personal events, to delayed timelines on new diabetes devices and product cargo ships woes general. IT's been a good deal to navigate, in many shipway a continuation of the troubled previous year.

Meanwhile, pretty much everything is still being seen through the lens of this pandemic and a highly strung political climate in the United States.

Yet there does seem to be hope on the horizon, with vaccine availability and a slowly improving economic situation. In the diabetes sports stadium, we look forward to a resurgence of new mathematical product approvals in the near future as the Food and Drug Administration (Food and Drug Administration) regulators get caught up.

Here's a take the gargantuan themes shaping 2021 in diabetes:

COVID-19 impact: Vaccines, variants, practical events

The pandemic continuing to be the biggest story of 2021, in general and for those with diabetes.

The start of the twelvemonth brought more discussions virtually state-led inoculation priorities, and how soon people with diabetes would be able to get those shots while they were still briefly supply. The new variants — with Hellenic-lettered names Delta and Omicron — have revived concerns about just how quickly we all may find our way past this pandemic.

COVID-19 vaccine researcher Dr. Drew Weissman lives with type 1 diabetes.
Dr. Drew Weissman

Remarkably, cardinal of our own in the Diabetes Community was a pivotal part of developing the COVID-19 vaccines. Dr. Drew Weissman at the University of Pennsylvania was one of the researchers who spent years digging into the scientific discipline hind end mRNA vaccines, and he's besides lived with type 1 diabetes (T1D) for more than 50 years. As it turns out, Weissman's work has made him one of Multiplication' Heroes of the Year for 2021!

As we saw in 2020, the continuing COVID-19 crisis meant most of the planned diabetes events and conferences during 2021 remained virtual or at least in a hybrid format. That included the Brobdingnagian annual American Diabetes Association's 81st Scientific Sessions case that was again all online. One exception was the annual Friends For Life story group discussion at DisneyWorld in Orlando, Florida, which is held p.a. in July. This year, it happened to capitulation into a perfectly-regular eruct of summer weather and easing restrictions that allowed this event to be held in person this past tense summertime.

Diabetes mathematical product delays

There were a few FDA approvals in 2021 that made headlines: Bigfoot Biomedical's number one connected One insulin playpen system in May, the FreeStyle Libre 2 nomadic app in August, and Medtronic's red-hot 7-twenty-four hour period extended wear extract set in September.

New 7-day wear insulin pump infusion set from Medtronic Diabetes.
Medtronic's new 7-day don infusion set

However, most of the Food and Drug Administration filings are taking longer than expected, lingering in the review treat due to pandemic-caused delays with the agency being short-term-staffed. Clinical test research for new products was also slowed down and even halted in some cases. The result: many an big unsurprising diabetes product approvals did non happen this twelvemonth.

Some people with diabetes (PWDs) also knowledgeable merchant marine delays for their required supplies and medications, bound once once more to COVID-19 issues.

Numerous distributed stories online of how their supplies and medications were delayed-action operating theater not directly accessible through mail-order and retail pharmacies, besides A third gear-party distribution companies. Most of this is tied to either supply stock or staffing shortages that have plagued many businesses globally.

As a matter of fact, in November 2021, Novo Nordisk actually old a brief manufacturing problem and subsequent shipping delays for its insulin brands, leaving some in the United States without immediate access to their life-sustaining insulin before everything was cleared up.

100 years of insulin

The year brought a milestone in diabetes history: a C since insulin was first discovered in 1921, by a team led by Toronto-based researchers Dr. Frederick Banting and Dr. Charles Best. They began examination insulin in their lab early that year and made the critical discovery of isolating insulin in July 1921. It was then first delivered by word of mouth into a patient on Dec. 21, 1921. The first-ever patient to receive an insulin shot came on Jan. 15, 1922, with 15-year-old Leonard Homer Armstrong Thompso. The rest is history, as they say.

For this century mark, many advocacy initiatives, knowingness campaigns, and fundraising efforts have embraced the 100th insulin anniversary subject. One of those enclosed the World Health Organization (WHO) that developed a Global Diabetes Compact to advocate on the need for low-priced insulin.

Insulin prices remain at crisis stage

Regrettably, the current state of insulin affordability — operating theater lack thereof — clouds this 100th day of remembrance. Many media outlets ingest promulgated stories through this milestone year highlighting the insulin pricing crisis here in the America.

Insulin prices remain at crisis level in the United States.

Our Diabetes Biotic community did realise some changes materialise, but they only if ever seem to be additive improvements quite than complete Price-lowering measures that help everyone.

  • In a lifesize move, Walmart added a ReliOn version of the bolus (secured-performing, mealtime) insulin Novolog to its lineup of insulin products available for a lower cash price of only $35.
  • So far, that pails in comparison to the 3-year drug pricing investigation report published in embryonic December by the Theater Superintendence Commission that touched on insulin pricing practices, confirming the current emphasis on aiming for profit finished patient wellness.
  • Diabetes advocates met with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Sir Arthur Travers Harris at different points in the year, traveling to the White House to hash out insulin pricing. Some of that was tied to the labour for the projected Build Back Better Represent, the massive Populist-led infrastructure bill that included a potential Union soldier insulin copay ceiling of $35 for some Medicare and mercenary insurance plans. That bill passed the U.S. House only stalled but in front the twelvemonth's end in the Senate.

Aside from those massive themes of 2021, a number of some other notable diabetes-related tidings stories captured headlines throughout the twelvemonth:

Parvenu long-acting insulins

Several new formulations of basic (lasting, background knowledge) insulins made headlines throughout the class.

  • The Viatris-Biocon insulin Semglee — which was approved in 2020 as a knockoff of Sanofi's Lantus — accepted the first-ever interchangeable designation, signification it can be swapped out with other basal insulins. Semglee launched starting in November, in both a "branded" and "unbranded" take form. The lower-priced unbranded Semglee had an first list Mary Leontyne Pric of $147.98 per package of five 3mL pens and $98.65 per 10mL vial; the proprietary reading of Semglee, subject to insurance coverage, was $404.04 per package of five pens, and $269.38 per glass ampule.
  • In Dec, the FDA also approved another long Lantus-knockoff made by Eli Lilly, a biosimilar insulin named Rezvoglar. That will be ready in 3mL pens, and Lilly will liable launch that product and offer pricing details in 2022.

Digital diabetes data in the tidings

A telephone number of news items touched on digital diabetes data. A grownup nonpareil came in July as the FDA cleared round-the-clock glucose monitor (CGM) company Dexcom to release its real-clock API, allowing other companies to directly tie Dexcom CGM data into their devices. Garmin was the first to do then, and the open-seed Sugarmate platform (now owned by Tandem Diabetes Care) took a hiatus before last returning later in the yr.

The aesculapian establishment successful a landmark embracement of homemade (DIY) technology in the diabetes space, with an foreign consensus assertion being published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. This is the first-of-its-kind guidance for healthcare providers on treating patients using DIY diabetes systems.

The authors noted that healthcare providers should alleviate and support people with diabetes WHO take this DIY tech to automate their insulin delivery systems, and work with patients to set "pragmatic goals" and minimize any risk. They too called for local policies supporting open-source closed curl systems as "fostering honorable medical principles and evidence-founded medical treatment."

#WeAreNotWaiting for the win!

Diabetes in the public eye

From beginning to end, diabetes was certainly on display this year for people around the world to sire a glance of:

Nick Jonas in his CGM Super Bowl ad

  • Comprehensive Bowl ad. We started 2021 with celebrity singer and actor Ding Jonas appearing in a 30-second Super Bowl ad for Dexcom, with him wearing his G6 CGM in a press to raise awareness about the product likewise as type 1 diabetes in general. Not all were pleased about that commercial, though, as DiabetesMine reportable hither.
  • Lila Moss on runway. At the conclusion of September, the and then 18-year-sunset girl of supermodel Kate Moss walked the runway as part of the Fendi-Gianni Versace collaborative collections show in Italy and wore her tubeless Omnipod insulin ticker on her second joint on congested show of the audience and cameras.
  • Este Haim. As part of the sister trio rock dance band HAIM, bassist Este Haim often puts her diabetes gearing happening display in her Instagram photos, social media posts, and media interviews. This spring, the mathematical group besides made rock musi n' roll history as the first all-female band nominated for the Grammy's superlative prize.
  • Miss America. At year's end, news hit that the Smithsonian was marking the 100th anniversary of the Miss U.S.A competition by bringing a new showing to the museum. That includes memorabilia from Nicole Johnson, who many may recall was crowned Miss America in 1999 and notably was the first to tire out her Minimed insulin pump on stage for the world to picture. Johnson wrote on Facebook: "So delighted to live a part of the Smithsonian Institution. I was thrilled to donate my insulin pump, 2-firearm swimsuit, individual photos, and precious letters from children with diabetes sent to me during my time every bit Miss America 1999. I am so worthy to be included in this exhibit with an incredible group of trailblazing women!" More detail along the march can be found via the Smithsonian.

Goodbye, diabetes advocates

Our Diabetes Community deplorably aforementioned goodbye to some incredible people and advocates in 2021, who've made a fool on our biotic community and world for the finer:

Erin Gilmer – a diabetes and disability rights advocate, passed departed at 38 geezerhood old in July. American Samoa the New York Multiplication reports, Gilmer "fought for a more pity health care system, bringing an extensive noesis of policy and symmetric many extensive firsthand receive as a patient."

Scott Strange – this longtime T1D advocate and blogger passed absent in early Nov, at 58 old age auld. He volunteered at many advocacy conferences and meetings, and generously gave much of himself to people with diabetes over his telling 50+ years of life with this qualify. In particular, atomic number 2 wrote very much more or less mental wellness with diabetes and gave many inside the community a voice for sharing their own stories and struggles on the mental health front.

Thom Scher – the 33-old age-offspring president and CEO of leading diabetes nonprofit Beyond Character 1 surprisingly passed away in early December in Greater New York Metropolis. Scher did not live with diabetes himself, but was a overzealous counselor-at-law who had a courageous vision to challenge the status quo in terms of what a nonprofit organization could do. He led On the far side Character 1 to attend people realistic with both T1D and type 2 diabetes, providing resources to this community in ten-fold languages all all over the world-wide.

Anne Timothy Miles Bindon Rice – the notable Vampire novel author who was extremely public roughly her diabetes diagnosis and struggles, died in mid-December at 80 years old. She had struggled with complications of diabetes since her delayed diagnosis in 1998.

These pleasing souls and others lost this yr will be sorely missed!

The sometime year has been tough on so many fronts. Hither's to looking forward to a brighter, inferior stressful 2022 ahead.

NOTE: DiabetesMine appeared on the 'Diabetes Connections' podcast recently, offering a tone rearward at 2021 and a sight of "Our Diabetes Engineering Predictions for 2022." Be sure to check that out, too.