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News Article
Global alert issued over fake Ozempic drugs
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A global alert about fake versions of Ozempic - which has become popular as a way of losing weight - has been issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). The drug is sometimes known as a "skinny jab" despite its main purpose being a treatment for type 2 diabetes. The WHO said the fake medicines could pose a danger to health. The organisation advised people to source the drug only through reputable sources, such as a doctor, rather than obscure sites online or through social media. The active ingredient in Ozempic - semaglutide - helps people with type 2 diabetes control the amount of sugar in their blood. However, the weekly injection also signals to the brain that we're full. So the drug helps people lose weight by reducing the urge to eat. People without diabetes have been getting hold of the drug as a weight-loss medication, which has led to shortages for people with type 2 diabetes and created a market for counterfeit drugs. “[We advise] healthcare professionals, regulatory authorities and the public be aware of these falsified batches of medicines,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO assistant director general for essential medicines and health products. "These falsified products could have harmful effects to people’s health," WHO said. Read full story Source: BBC News, 20 June 2024 -
Content ArticleThis WHO Medical Product Alert refers to three falsified batches of OZEMPIC (semaglutide). This falsified product has been detected in Brazil (October 2023), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (October 2023), and the United States of America (December 2023), and was supplied in the regulated supply chain. OZEMPIC (semaglutide) is from a group of medicines called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) inhibitors that are indicated for the treatment of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults, adolescents, and children over 12 years of age. The genuine manufacturer of OZEMPIC has confirmed that the three products referenced in this Alert are falsified: the products misrepresent their identify and source as they were not manufactured by Novo Nordisk: batch number LP6F832 is not recognized. the combination of batch number NAR0074 with serial number 430834149057 does not correspond to genuine manufacturing records. batch number MP5E511 is genuine, but the product is falsified.
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Content Article
Diabetes tech: Do national aspirations and local practice align?
Anonymous posted an article in Diabetes
In this anonymous blog, a person with type 1 diabetes describes their recent experience upgrading their insulin pump, a medical device used to continuously deliver insulin instead of taking multiple daily injections. They describe how communication issues and gaps in staff knowledge led to a significant delay in accessing the pump, which caused them significant stress. They also ask whether recent announcements about increased access to diabetes technology over the next few years will match up to the reality experienced by people with diabetes accessing care at local healthcare organisations. -
Content ArticleMore than four million people have type 2 diabetes in the UK and the use of new technologies is becoming essential for effective diabetes care and patient empowerment. This report by Public Policy Projects (PPP) highlights the benefits of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for people with type 2 diabetes who use insulin, but finds that access remains limited due to stigma and financial barriers. The report contains findings that emerged during the second roundtable of PPP’s System-wide Strategies for Better Diabetes Care programme, which is designed to identify opportunities for improvements and transformation in diabetes care. The roundtable was attended by more than 30 sector leaders from primary and secondary care, pharmacy and integrated care system (ICS) and key industry representatives. The overarching theme was the opportunities and challenges brought by CGM technology to type 2 insulin users and other patient groups. The report finds that primary care staff are under-resourced to deal with the number of new guidelines published, and this is influencing willingness to adopt and push this technology. Also, financial constraints and stigma around the visibility of the sensor are slowing down the effective rollout of the technology across the UK.
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EventThis webinar for UK healthcare professionals will be delivered by DISN UK Group committee members. It will focus on using diabetes technology–insulin pumps, CGM, POCT–in the hospital. We will discuss and outline the newest JBDS technology guideline and provide the attendees with most up to date information regarding using diabetes technology when a person with diabetes is admitted to hospital. Educational outcomes – 3 points: Recognise different types of diabetes technology Use of diabetes technology in the different scenarios in inpatient setting Effective support for people with diabetes and use of diabetes technology when admitted to hospital Register for the webinar
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News Article
Local control of NHS screening could jeopardise patient safety
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
Patients could be put at risk by plans to allow local NHS bodies to oversee the quality of health screening programmes for diseases such as breast and bowel cancer, experts have suggested. At the moment, NHS England runs the Screening Quality Assurance Service (SQAS) to make sure local organisations comply with national standards, are safe and can be subject to inspections. There are 11 national screening programmes in England, including those for breast, cervical and bowel cancer, plus antenatal and newborn screening, abdominal aortic aneurysm and diabetic eye screening. At the moment, screening programmes must report all safety incidents to the SQAS and the SQAS inspectors visit local sites to pick up urgent issues and make recommendations. Now, a report in the British Medical Journal questions plans by NHS England to allow local bodies to have more control. Sue Cohen, former national lead of screening quality assurance at Public Health England, told the BMJ that devolving responsibility for SQAS to local organisations would be a “retrograde” step. She pointed to previous issues, such as in Kent where a lack of oversight of a cervical screening programme led to women with cancer not being picked up. She said: “If you don’t have a quality assurance service that is properly resourced and has that ability to keep a national view, you will simply not have the oversight of the system and there is a bigger risk of incidents going undetected.” Read full story Source: Medscape News, 22 May 2024 -
Content ArticleThis report from Public Policy Projects (PPP) calls for changes in the use of approved medicines to improve diabetes care in the UK. It is the first in a series looking at specific areas of diabetes care in the UK.
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Content Article
National Diabetes Foot Care Audit 2018 to 2023 (9 May 2024)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Diabetes
The National Diabetes Foot Care Audit (NDFA) has published a State of the Nation report for 2018 to 2023. Based on data from England and Wales from 1 Apr 2018 to 31 Mar 2023, it details the findings and recommendations relating to the assessment, outcomes and participation in the NDFA for this period. Ulceration of the foot in people living with diabetes presents significant challenges, including emotional, physical and financial costs, and is associated with increased risk of both amputation and death. It affects between 1 and 2% of all people with diabetes each year and its management accounts for approximately 1% of the total NHS budget. The overall aim of the NDFA is to measure factors associated with increased risk of ulcer onset and adverse ulcer outcomes, and to share information relating to best clinical practice. This report contains three key findings: The time to first expert assessment (FEA) is key to achieving the positive outcomes of being alive and ulcer free (AAUF) at 12 weeks There is a marked variation between foot care services both in terms of assessment and outcomes There are wide ranging differences between regions, integrated care boards and services in ulcer registration rates, and also the percentage of those registered that are classified as severe. -
News Article
Insulin shortages ‘causing stress and anxiety’ for UK diabetes patients
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
People with type 1 diabetes are being forced to endure the “stress and anxiety” of insulin shortages, patients, pharmacists and health campaigners have warned. The “distressing” drug scarcity, the latest to affect the UK, is sowing uncertainty for the 400,000 people with the condition, with some products not available again until next year amid global manufacturing shortages. Britain is already contending with record numbers of medicines becoming hard or impossible to obtain, including those for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and epilepsy. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) said “a regular and reliable supply of insulin is essential for life” for people with type 1 diabetes. That is because their disease – an autoimmune condition unrelated to type 2 diabetes – means they cannot make insulin naturally and must inject it every day or receive it through a pump. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) confirmed there were “supply issues with a limited number of insulin products” that patients might find “distressing”. One patient, an NHS doctor who puts vials of the drug into her insulin pump, said: “I spent the last two days trying to get hold of insulin to treat my type 1 diabetes. I was terrified when my usual, very reliable pharmacist told me he couldn’t get hold of my insulin. I had no idea that insulin could go out of stock. Type 1 diabetics fall ill and will die within a few days without insulin. I’m worried for fellow diabetics, not only to access the supply, to stay alive, but the stress and anxiety this causes.” Read full story Source: Guardian, 28 April 2024 -
Content ArticleThis Health Foundation report explores how patterns of diagnosed ill health vary by socioeconomic deprivation in England. This report is the second output from the REAL Centre’s programme of research with the University of Liverpool. Building on the projections in Health in 2040, this report is one of the first studies to unpack patterns of inequalities in diagnosed illness by socioeconomic deprivation across England and project them into the future. Stark inequalities are projected to stubbornly persist up to 2040, with profound implications not only for people’s quality of life, but also their ability to work and the wider economy. The report also finds that health inequality is largely due to a small group of long-term conditions, with chronic pain, type 2 diabetes and anxiety and depression projected to increase at a faster rate in the most deprived areas.
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Content ArticleThis National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA) report on care and outcomes 2022/23 found that the prevalence of children and young people cared for in Paediatric Diabetes Units (PDUs) in England and Wales has increased from 33,251 in 2021/22 to 34,371 in 2022/23, despite a fall in the incidence of new cases. It also found that the percentages of children and young people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes receiving all six key annual healthcare checks have increased, but there remains much variability between PDUs (and completion rates for those with Type 2 remain lower than for those with Type 1). Other findings include: Percentages of young people with early signs of micro and macrovascular complications for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes show very little change in 2022/23 compared to the previous audit year Use of diabetes related technology has increased in 2022/23, with around half of children and young people with Type 1 diabetes using insulin pumps and half using a real time continuous glucose monitor (rtCGM) Around a quarter of all new cases of Type 1 diabetes had diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at diagnosis, compared to 25.6% in 2021/22. The report also states that, despite improvements in outcomes and use of technologies across different ethnicities and areas of deprivation, inequalities remain evident. In terms of rtCGM use, the inequality gap by deprivation has reduced, however the difference in use between Black and White children with Type 1 diabetes has widened from 8.6% in 2021/22 to 14% in 2022/23.
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News Article
Diabetes patients to be offered artificial-pancreas technology
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Tens of thousands of people with type 1 diabetes in England are to be offered a new technology, dubbed an artificial pancreas, to help manage the condition. The system uses a glucose sensor under the skin to automatically calculate how much insulin is delivered via a pump. Later this month, the NHS will start contacting adults and children who could benefit from the system. But NHS bosses warned it could take five years before everyone eligible had the opportunity to have one. This is because of challenges sourcing enough of the devices, plus the need to train more staff in how to use them. In trials, the technology - known as a hybrid closed loop system - improved quality of life and reduced the risk of long-term health complications. And at the end of last year, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said the NHS should start using it. Prof Partha Kar, NHS national speciality advisor for diabetes, said the move was "great news for everyone with type 1 diabetes". "This futuristic technology not only improves medical care but also enhances the quality of life for those affected," he added. Read full story Source: BBC News, 2 April 2024 Related reading on the hub: How safe are closed loop artificial pancreas systems? -
Content ArticleMore than 3 years after the onset of the Covid-19 global pandemic, a wave of evidence suggests that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can lead to postacute sequelae in pulmonary and broad array of extrapulmonary organ systems—including increased risks and burdens of cardiovascular disorders, neurologic and mental health disorders, metabolic disorders (diabetes and dyslipidemia), kidney disorders and gastrointestinal disorders. However, up until now, evidence is mostly limited to the first year postinfection. Bowe et al. built a cohort of 138,818 individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection and 5,985,227 noninfected control group from the US Department of Veterans Affairs and followed them for 2 years to estimate the risks of death and 80 prespecified postacute sequelae of Covid-19 (PASC) according to care setting during the acute phase of infection. They found that the increased risk of death was not significant beyond 6 months after infection among nonhospitalised but remained significantly elevated through the 2 years in hospitalised individuals. Within the 80 prespecified sequelae, 69% and 35% of them became not significant at 2 years after infection among nonhospitalised and hospitalised individuals, respectively. In summary, while risks of many sequelae declined 2 years after infection, the substantial cumulative burden of health loss due to PASC calls for attention to the care needs of people with long-term health effects due to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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News Article
Diabetes patients struggling without 'wonder drug'
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Diabetes patients have told the BBC they are struggling without what they have called a "wonder drug". Experts estimate about 400,000 people with Type 2 diabetes could have been affected by a national supply shortage caused by rising demand. The new generation of medicines - GLP-1 receptor agonists - mimic a hormone that not only controls blood sugar levels but also suppresses appetite. The government said it was trying to help resolve the supply chain issues. NHS England has issued a National Patient Safety Alert for the drugs. The NHS alerts require action to be taken by healthcare providers to reduce the risk of death or disability. The diabetes medicines in short supply are Ozempic, Trulicity, Victoza, Byetta, and Bydureon. They work via injections instead of tablets. The group of medicines has been used by the NHS for diabetes for around a decade but in recent years there has been a growth in private clinics prescribing the same drugs for weight loss for people who do not have diabetes, pushing up demand. Novo Nordisk, which manufactures Ozempic and Victoza, told the BBC it was experiencing shortages of its medicines for people in the UK with Type 2 diabetes due to "unprecedented levels of demand". Read full story Source: BBC News, 26 January 2024 Have you (or a loved one) ever been prescribed medication that you were then unable to get hold of at the pharmacy or in hospital? To help us understand how these issues impact the lives of patients and families, please share your experience and insights in our hub community thread on the topic here or drop a comment below. You'll need to register with the hub first, its free and easy to do. -
Content ArticleSarah Rainey talks to Olivia Djouadi about her experience of type 1 diabetes with disordered eating (T1DE), which is thought to affect up to 40% of women and 15% of men with type 1 diabetes. People with T1DE, sometimes also called diabulimia, limit their insulin intake to control their weight, which can have life-threatening consequences. Olivia describes how the stress of living with type 1 contributed to her developing T1DE, and how when she finally received treatment and support in her 30s, she was able to deal with her disordered eating and see her health and wellbeing improve.
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Content ArticleThis is a safety critical and complex National Patient Safety Alert. Implementation should be co-ordinated by an executive lead (or equivalent role in organisations without executive boards) and supported by clinical leaders in diabetes, GP practices, pharmacy services in all sectors, weight loss clinics, private healthcare providers and those working in the Health and Justice sector.
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Content ArticleThis leaflet aims to help people with type 1 diabetes decide between the different technologies available to manage diabetes. It contains summaries of devices available and infographics outlining eligibility criteria for continuous glucose monitors (CGM), insulin pumps and hybrid-closed loop systems. Diabetes care is one of the five clinical areas of focus for integrated care boards and partnerships to achieve system change and improve care as part of Core20Plus5 for children and young people with the aim to increase access to real-time continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps across the most deprived quintiles and from ethnic minority backgrounds.
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Content ArticlePeople with diabetes often encounter stigma in the form of negative social judgments, stereotypes and prejudice, which can adversely affect emotional, mental and physical health, self-care, access to healthcare and social and professional opportunities. On average, four in five adults with diabetes experience diabetes stigma and one in five experience discrimination due to diabetes in healthcare, education, and employment. Diabetes stigma and discrimination are harmful, unacceptable, unethical, and counterproductive. Collective leadership is needed to proactively challenge, and bring an end to, diabetes stigma and discrimination. To help achieve this, an international multidisciplinary expert panel conducted rapid reviews and participated in a three-round Delphi survey process. The group achieved consensus on 25 statements of evidence and 24 statements of recommendations. The consensus is that diabetes stigma is driven primarily by blame, perceptions of burden or sickness, invisibility and fear or disgust.
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Content Article
Lions Clubs Message in a Bottle (MIAB)
Patient_Safety_Learning posted an article in Emergency medicine
Lions Clubs Message in a Bottle is a simple but effective way for people to keep their basic personal and medical details where they can be found in an emergency on a standard form and in a common location – the fridge. Message in a Bottle (known within Lions as MIAB) helps emergency services personnel to save valuable time in identifying an individual very quickly and knowing if they have any allergies or take special medication. Find out more about the initiative and how to order a bottle via the link below. -
News ArticleHundreds more middle-aged adults have been dying each month since the end of the pandemic, as obesity and NHS backlogs drive a surge in excess deaths. New analysis of official statistics has revealed that there were an extra 28,000 deaths in the UK during the first six months of 2023, compared with levels in the previous five years. The biggest rise in unexpected deaths has been among adults aged 50 to 64, who are increasingly dying prematurely from preventable conditions including heart disease and diabetes. The Covid inquiry is now being urged to shift its focus from “tactical decisions made by politicians” and to examine the lasting disruption that has kept deaths persistently high since the virus peaked. Experts believe that difficulties in accessing GPs since lockdown and record NHS waiting lists mean that middle-aged patients are missing out on life-saving preventative treatment such as blood pressure medication. Unhealthy lifestyles, obesity and widening health inequalities are also contributing to a rise in avoidable deaths. Professor Yvonne Doyle, who led Public Health England during the pandemic, warned that the official Covid inquiry risks “missing the point” by focusing on the drama and WhatsApps of Westminster politicians. In an article for The Times, Doyle, who gave evidence to the inquiry six weeks ago, says that the tens of thousands of excess deaths since Covid “represent an underlying pandemic of ill health” that should be addressed. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 13 December 2023
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Content Article
D-Coded is an online resource that presents easy-to-understand summaries of diabetes research studies. It aims to make the latest knowledge and developments accessible to people who don't have a medical or scientific background. In this blog, Jazz Sethi, Founder and Director of the Diabesties Foundation and part of the global team that developed D-Coded, discusses the need for the resource and outlines how it will help people living with diabetes to better understand and manage their condition. -
News ArticleA new risk calculator will help to identify people with type 2 diabetes who are at high risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases with greater accuracy than ever before. By spotting high-risk individuals years in advance, doctors will be able to offer vital preventative treatment that can help save lives by warding off future heart attacks and strokes. The risk calculator is included in the new European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines advising doctors on the management of cardiovascular disease in people with type 2 diabetes, which were announced at the ESC’s annual Congress in August. There are around 4.5 million people in the UK with type 2 diabetes, and one third of adults with diabetes die from a heart or circulatory disease. The SCORE2-Diabetes risk calculator, published in the European Heart Journal, will allow doctors to estimate the risk of developing a heart or circulatory disease in the next 10 years, with much improved accuracy. Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, our Medical Director, said: “People with diabetes are overall nearly twice as likely to die of heart disease or stroke as those who do not have the condition. "This increased risk can be substantially reduced by interventions such as blood pressure control and statins, but this requires more accurate identification of those at increased risk. “SCORE2-Diabetes is a valuable advance that will allow doctors to tailor pre-emptive treatments for individuals with type 2 diabetes based on their personal risk of heart and circulatory diseases. "Such an approach is vital as clinicians in the UK and across Europe find new ways to reduce the high levels of ill health associated with diabetes.” Read full story Source: British Heart Foundation, 26 November 2023
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Content Article
D-coded diabetes
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Diabetes
D-coded diabetes is a tool that aims to simplify complex research studies about diabetes making the science accessible to everyone living with the condition. It uses simple language and images to explain the methodology and results of studies and trials. D-coded diabetes was created by The Diabesties Foundation, a nonprofit organisation aimed at delivering impact by revolutionising advocacy, education and support for people living with Type 1 Diabetes. -
News Article
Thousands unaware they have diabetes could be diagnosed at A&E, says study
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Thousands of people unaware they have type 2 diabetes could be diagnosed and avoid serious complications if screening was introduced in emergency departments, a study suggests. The prevalence of the disease has risen dramatically in countries of all income levels in the last three decades, according to the World Health Organization. More than 400 million people have been diagnosed, but millions more are estimated to be in the dark about the fact they have the condition. A study that took place in an NHS trust in England suggests 10% more cases could be picked up with the use of a simple blood test. Screening could also pick up 30% more cases of pre-diabetes – a serious condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal. The findings are being presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Hamburg, Germany. “Early diagnosis is the best way to avoid the devastating complications of type 2 diabetes, and offers the best chance of living a long and healthy life,” said Prof Edward Jude, of Tameside and Glossop integrated care NHS foundation trust. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 3 October 2023 -
News Article
Doctors used to diagnosing men may not spot 35,000 women with diabetes
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Thousands of women may be missing out on a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes because the thresholds are geared towards men, research suggests. Scientists assessed test results from more than one million patients across the country and concluded that the bar for diagnosis might be set too high for women. They calculated that, if thresholds were lowered slightly, an extra 35,000 women under the age of 50 in England would be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes — increasing the number in this age group with the condition by 17%. Under the present guidelines, those 35,000 women would be given the all-clear and would miss out on the chance of earlier treatment and lifestyle advice, increasing their risk of complications in later life. The team, led by doctors at the University of Manchester and including researchers from hospitals nationwide, stressed that their findings were preliminary, and needed further assessment before their hypothesis was confirmed. But, if proved correct, they believe that about 65 young women may be dying of diabetes each year without a diagnosis. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 1 October 2023
