Position statements As a leading voice on diabetes issues, Diabetes Australia produces position statements on issues that impact on people with diabetes, their friends, families and carers. Equitable Access to Diabetes Technology – Position Statement Over the past 100 years, advances in technology and medicines have delivered significant improvements in quality of life and health outcomes for people living with all types of diabetes. Despite the benefits of technology such as continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices and insulin pumps, many Australians living with diabetes are missing out. Australia needs a comprehensive approach to diabetes technology subsidies that would expand access, accelerate approvals, and ultimately improve health outcomes. Download: Equitable Access to Diabetes Technology – Position Statement Summary Download: Equitable Access to Diabetes Technology – Position Statement Consensus Statement on Automated Insulin Delivery for Type 1 Diabetes in Australia Automated insulin delivery (AID) has positively transformed the lives of people living with type 1 diabetes who have the means to access the technology. Australian and international guidelines now recommend AID systems as the standard of care for people with type 1 diabetes who wish to use them. Fewer than 20% of Australians living with type 1 diabetes use an AID system. Australia’s insulin pump funding model places AID out of reach for most people with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Australia has joined with leading health organisations and members of the diabetes community to endorse a consensus statement on the need for more affordable access to AID for Australians living with type 1 diabetes. Consensus Statement on Automated Insulin Delivery for Type 1 Diabetes in Australia Our Language Matters: improving communication with and about people with diabetes Diabetes Australia’s position statement Our Language Matters aims to improve the language we all use to talk about diabetes. Our language matters. The words we choose, and the way we use them, influence, persuade and affect how people view the world. Words do more than reflect reality: they create reality. Words are powerful. They can create a culture in which people feel valued, understood, and supported – or one in which people feel misunderstood, undermined, stigmatised, and excluded. Words can express conscious or unconscious bias. People with diabetes, their families, and people at risk of diabetes, need and deserve communications that are clear and accurate, respectful, and inclusive, and free from judgement and bias. The Language Position Statement (full version) has been published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. The article can be read here: Our language matters: Improving communication with and about people with diabetes. A position statement by Diabetes Australia Download: Our Language Matters 2021 – Position Statement Type 2 diabetes remission Diabetes Australia’s position statement Type 2 diabetes remission provides up-to-date, practical advice and information to people with diabetes and the community about possible remission of type 2 diabetes. It is not intended to be a scientific or fully detailed report for health professionals. People with type 2 diabetes who want to attempt diabetes remission need to do so in close consultation with their diabetes healthcare team, as intensive dietary and weight changes need careful management, monitoring and support. People who do not achieve or sustain remission should not feel that they have ‘failed’. The health benefits of weight loss and a reduction in HbA1c are significant even if remission does not occur, as these reduce the risk of developing diabetes-related complications and may lead to reducing or stopping glucose-lowering medications. Type 2 diabetes remission 2021 – Position statement Gestational Diabetes in Australia Diabetes Australia’s position statement Gestational Diabetes in Australia addresses the diagnosis, management and post-pregnancy care of women who develop gestational diabetes (GDM). It provides an overview of key issues relating to GDM and its impact and makes recommendations about the care and support women should receive. The increasing number of women developing GDM is putting great pressure on health services, particularly the maternity hospitals where most women receive antenatal and pregnancy care. The maternity hospitals and related services simply cannot keep up with the increasing numbers. The increasing demand is leading to delays in commencing management of GDM in some services, and care being delivered by clinicians who lack appropriate training and expertise in GDM. This may impact on the quality of advice and care provided to the woman/family. There is a need for increased funding for hospitals to support optimal management of women with GDM. This should include funding to support diagnostic and management pathways tailored to local circumstances. A new Medicare item is also needed for women with GDM to support credentialed diabetes educators, accredited practising dietitians and other allied health professionals in delivering essential GDM services. Gestational Diabetes in Australia Position Statement People with type 1 diabetes and Do It Yourself (DIY) technology solutions Diabetes Australia’s position statement People with type 1 diabetes and Do It Yourself (DIY) technology solutions is designed to inform people about the latest trends in diabetes technology for people living with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Australia believes that people with diabetes should have choice and access to diabetes management solutions that help them manage their diabetes to the best of their ability. Diabetes Australia understands that there are technologies being used by people with diabetes that are not approved for use by regulatory bodies, such as the Therapeutic Goods Authority (TGA). These technologies are not commercially available and are ‘built’ by individuals with diabetes for their own use. This position statement is written for people living with diabetes (and families of people living with diabetes) to provide background information on Do It Yourself (DIY) technologies, the potential risks and benefits of using these technologies, and what people should expect from healthcare professionals in supporting their use. Diabetes Australian Position statement – DIY technology for type 1 diabetes Low carbohydrate eating for people with diabetes Diabetes Australia’s position statement Low carbohydrate eating for people with diabetes draws on the latest evidence and provides practical advice and information for people with diabetes considering a low carbohydrate eating plan. For people with type 2 diabetes, there is reliable evidence that lower carb eating can be safe and useful in lowering average blood glucose levels in the short term (up to 6 months). It can also help reduce body weight and help manage heart disease risk factors such as raised cholesterol and raised blood pressure. Low carbohydrate eating for people with diabetes 2018 – Position statement Glucose self-monitoring in adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes Diabetes Australia’s position statement Glucose self-monitoring in adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes is designed to help make it easier for Australians living with diabetes to self-monitor their glucose levels and better self-manage their condition. Glucose self-monitoring is one of the most important parts of diabetes management. It is also an area that is rapidly changing and can be confusing for people with diabetes. The position statement is designed to give people the information they need to decide the type of glucose monitoring that is right for them. It explains the technologies available, the pros and cons and the evidence for each. Glucose Position Statement 2017 A health levy on sugar sweetened beverages Diabetes Australia recommends that the Australian Government introduce a health levy on sugar-sweetened beverages, as part of a comprehensive approach to decreasing rates of overweight and obesity, and reducing the impact of type 2 diabetes. Revenue generated should support public education campaigns and initiatives to prevent chronic conditions (including type 2 diabetes) and address childhood obesity. Diabetes Australia sugary drinks – position statement 2018 Position statement on biosimilar insulin Diabetes Australia, along with the Australian Diabetes Society and the Australian Diabetes Educators Association, has developed a position statement outlining our position on biosimilar substitution and pharmacy-level substitution. Position Statement on Biosimilars One diet does not fit all Diabetes Australia urges Australians to discuss individual diets with their healthcare team. Diabetes is serious and complex in all its forms – type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes and other variants. The public/media discussion about diabetes should not be dominated by “diets” – this is not helpful. A focus on one particular type of diet is not helpful. 2017 06 01 No one size fits all diet position statement Position on nutrition labelling on restaurant menus As a member of the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (ACDPA) Diabetes Australia supports the provision of nutrition labelling on menus at fast food and snack food chain outlets as an important element of a comprehensive obesity prevention strategy. Position on nutrition labelling on restaurant menus Position on alcohol supply As a member of the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (ACDPA) Diabetes Australia supports this overview of evidence concerning alcohol use and chronic disease risk. Position on alcohol supply Position on alcohol and taxation Position on alcohol and taxation As a member of the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (ACDPA) Diabetes Australia supports this statement concerning alcohol and taxation. Position on alcohol labelling As a member of the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (ACDPA) Diabetes Australia supports this statement concerning stronger labeling on alcohol. Position on alcohol labelling Position on alcohol and advertising As a member of the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (ACDPA) Diabetes Australia supports this statement concerning the need for regulation on alcohol advertising. Position on alcohol and advertising Position statement on bariatric surgery National Position Statement – Bariatric Surgery This position statement is for people with type 2 diabetes and those at risk of developing diabetes to help them make decisions about bariatric surgery. Consensus statement sugar-sweetened beverages Diabetes Australia, in partnership with health and community organisations, support the Rethink Sugary Drinks initiative. As part of the initiative, eight of the partner organisations have signed a consensus statement with a series of recommendations around tackling the over consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Read more information about the initiative on the Rethink Sugary Drinks website. Consensus Statement Sugar-sweetened Beverages More information Best-practice guidelines Created for practicing health professionals, Diabetes Australia has collated best practice guidelines developed by medical experts and researchers. These best-practice guidelines are for the prevention, diagnosis and management of diabetes. Health professional resources Resources for healthcare professionals that provide guidance on how people can live well with diabetes.
