Australians living with all types of diabetes should have equitable access to the technology they need to live well. Right now they don’t and this needs to change.

That was the simple, yet powerful, message for National Diabetes Week 2024 (July 14-20).

National Diabetes Week featured many powerful stories of people living with diabetes, highlighting the current inequities many Australians experience accessing the technology they need to live well.

Throughout the week, a series of community engagement events, media opportunities, and announcements amplified the voices of the diabetes community and showcased the need for fair and equitable access to diabetes technology.

‘DiaBuddies’ help launch National Diabetes Week

A big group of ‘DiaBuddies’ children living with type 1 diabetes and their families helped launch National Diabetes Week 2024 in Brisbane. In sharing their stories, these children and their families highlighted the difference diabetes technology makes in their lives but, also the financial hardship for many trying to access this technology.

Position Statement outlines the steps needed to create more affordable access to diabetes technology

To kick-off National Diabetes Week, Diabetes Australia released a new policy paper calling on the government to make life changing technology more affordable for people living with all types of diabetes.

In the paper, we have outlined the steps needed to create more affordable access to CGM devices and insulin pumps, including economic modelling that shows a $200 million package of investment would support nearly 40,000 people living with diabetes to access these technologies, prioritising those with the greatest need.

Acknowledging that subsidies to improve access will likely need to be delivered in a staged approach over time, the paper recommends key priority groups in the first instance, with further expansion in the future.

The paper also outlines recommendations for changes to the way diabetes technologies are assessed and approved in Australia and investment in the diabetes workforce to support people living with diabetes get the most out of technology.

New funding announced for diabetes technology research

During National Diabetes Week, Diabetes Australia announced a new funding program to support research into life-changing diabetes technologies.

The Diabetes Technology Research Accelerator Grant Program has been designed to fast-track the development of new diabetes technologies.

The research program will bring together technology and pharmaceutical industries with world leading researchers to get new technologies into the hands of people with diabetes who need them most.

Diabetes Australia will be investing seed funding of $250,000 and we are calling for matched funding from industry partners to help generate $1 million to spear-head this initiative and create real change.

Marrin Weejali event highlights need for technology access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Federal MP backs campaign with activation in Sydney’s West

In collaboration with Federal Member for Fowler, Dai Le MP, Diabetes Australia hosted an activation at Cabramatta Plaza, in Sydney’s West. Fowler has a strong multicultural community with rates of diabetes much higher than the national average. Hundreds turned out to engage in the event, chat with a diabetes health professional and hear about the campaign for fair and equitable access to diabetes technology.

Victorian Virtual Emergency Department-Diabetes Service launched

Diabetes Australia is proud to be backing the new Victorian Virtual Emergency Department-Diabetes Service, launched during National Diabetes Week.

The first of its kind in Australia service aims to provide emergency specialist support services for people living with diabetes and revolutionise the management of diabetes emergencies across Victoria.

Expert modelling shows huge cost savings for diabetes technology

News coverage during National Diabetes Week highlighted new research which shows CGM devices can dramatically reduce the risk of life-threatening diabetes-related complications including blindness, cardiovascular disease and kidney failure for people living with type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes Australia Chief Medical Officer Professor David Simmons is a co-author on research presented recently at the American Diabetes Association conference. It studied people with type 2 diabetes on intensive insulin therapy in Australia.

The analysis shows CGM would massively reduce eye, renal, neuropathy, and cardiovascular complications of the condition by 17.7, 21.1, 8.7 and 2.5 per cent respectively.

April Welsh shares the life changing impact of diabetes technology

April Welsh, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of three, knows the life changing impact of diabetes technology. It’s helped her chase her dreams and compete professionally in motorsport, racing in Formula Vee in WA.

At a National Diabetes Week event hosted by Rio Tinto Children’s Diabetes Centre based at Perth Children’s Hospital and Telethon Kids Institute, April met with a group of children newly diagnosed with type 1 who are just starting out on their journey with diabetes tech.

Perth Diabetes Care roundtable highlights need to keep the conversation going

To cap off the week, a roundtable event hosted by Perth Diabetes Care provided a forum to hear from more people about how much fair and equitable access to technology would mean to them.

Let’s keep the conversation going

The national conversation, which commenced in the months leading up to National Diabetes Week, will continue well beyond July as the diabetes community continues to unite around this issue.

This fight starts and ends with community. Together we can make a difference!

Let’s unite in the fight for tech.