UBC study could help eliminate the need for insulin injections

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Type 1 diabetes sufferers could find some relief with a new pilot study from UBC. If successful, patients may not need to inject insulin anymore.

Medical Director of BC diabetes Dr. Tom Elliot says if it works, it could dramatically improve lives.

“We know in the first few months of diagnosis that some of the insulin secreting cells are still functioning and we hope that this drug which is experimental with diabetes will save those cells and potentially revitalize other cells,” he explains.

“We are looking for individuals between the ages of 18 and 35 who have been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes within the last three months.”

Elliot says the drug has been used successfully to treat other diseases. “We know the drug is safe when given for arthritis so there is no reason to expect that there will be any damage to anybody who receives it and a very big upside.”

The trial lasts about a year and involves getting a shot of medication every 4 to 6 weeks for about 6 months.

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