Our team is thrilled to be in San Francisco today hosting the Summer 2019 DiabetesMine D-Data ExChange gathering of diabetes innovators.

Today we’re celebrating our 12th #DData event since its inception in Fall of 2013, where the #WeAreNotWaiting hashtag and movement were born! 

Clearly we’ve come a long way since that inaugural forum six years go, which was essentially an ad hoc gathering of early patient hackers. Now, #DData has evolved into a real grown up event series connecting the Diabetes DIY Community with leaders from Pharma, Medtech, Regulatory, Clinical and Digital Health Design Worlds.

The connections made at these events have had some exciting tangible results, including:

  • Lot of folks from the DIY community getting hired by forward-thinking industry organizations. What could be better than placing those brilliant patient-focused minds where they can help change the market for D-Tools?
  • Partnerships, Research Projects, Pilot Programs, Advisory Boards
  • Importantly, we’ve seen and are seeing real strides in interoperbility and embracing Open Source models in diabetes innovation

 

How Doctors are Dealing with Diabetes Technology

#DData has always been a place to hear about cutting-edge technology from the DIY community and various startups, along with new regulatory pathways directly from FDA leaders. But today, for the first time ever at #DData, we are going to hear from the clinician side of the equation, with a panel of providers who are making bold moves to deal with the challenges of:

  • onboarding and supporting patients on tech tools
  • finding time and getting reimbursed for reviewing data
  • how EHRs (Electronic Health Records) must evolve to handle this new era of Digital Health

 

Diabetes Tech Tools “in the Trenches” 

Of course we’ll spend some significant time addressing the realities of what patients face “out in the trenches” of daily diabetes management.

We’ll hear about a new program to expand access to CGM nationwide.

And get a perspective from the European #WeAreNotWaiting community on what patients want and need, courtesy of London DIYer Tim Street, who we’ve flown in for the day.

All of this is with the recognition that YES, the diabetes DIY community is still pushing ahead despite the recent FDA warning…

Anyone familiar with type 1 diabetes knows that dosing insulin is risky business, and mistakes can happen no matter how you’re taking it.

I for one really appreciate FDA’s approach and personal touch here, reaching out to patient community leaders like us at DiabetesMine to give us a heads-up and explanation the day that warning was issued in mid-May.

Essentially, FDA leaders told me they believe this instance underscores why it’s important for them to help fast-track advanced diabetes technology that is FDA-reviewed and supported by established companies.

Good for them for taking that “Adverse Event” as an incitement for them to work harder!

The fact is that patients will always be the experts on what they need, and their ingenuity is irreplaceable.

 

 

Follow Today’s #DData Action!

Please follow hashtags #DData19, #DData and of course #WeAreNotWaiting for live tweets.

Thanks once again to Wes Nordgren of the Nightscout Foundation, you can also watch a LiveStream of today’s program at the nonprofit org’s Facebook page, beginning at 12:30pm PST.

Some program highlights you won’t want to miss:

  • HOW TO WORK WITH FDA in an I-WORLD – Alain Silk of FDA will cover what’s new in iCGM, iPump (ACE Designation) and the upcoming i-Controller, with hands-on tips for approaching FDA “early and often.”
 
  • GETTING TO ‘BEYOND A1C’ – Everyone’s talking about Time in Range (TIR), but what will it actually take to institutionalize this new measure? Adam Brown of Close Concerns will explore this, in an open dialogue with Aaron Kowalski of JDRF and Alain Silk of FDA.
 
  • BUILDING ON ABBOTT LIBRE & WHAT PATIENTS WANT IN A CLOSED LOOP – We’re flying in European DIYer Tim Street from across the pond for a fascinating POV on #WeAreNotWaiting in Europe and beyond. 
 
  •  AN INSIDE LOOK at bold new approaches to clinical care by Virta Health (T2 diabetes focus) and Steady Health (T1 focus), and Helmsley’s “Geek Squad” program to expand CGM access.
 
  • HOT NEW #DDATA DEMOs, including –
    • the new eoPancreas system, recently granted FDA Breakthrough status 
    • MannKind’s new BluHale data tracking device for Afrezza insulin
    • Fresh Tri, a motivational behavior change app launched by Walmart
    • And much more!

 

To help you follow along, here’s a look at the event agenda:

 

A HUGE THANK YOU to the organizations that make these gatherings possible, who have stepped up to support this community: