Researchers from the Rio Tinto Children’s Diabetes Centre, a JDRF Global Centre of Excellence, have been awarded funding through the WA Child Research Fund (WACRF) to undertake research that aims to remove barriers and provide access to the most effective diabetes technologies for all children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The study will occur across a 3-year period at Perth Children’s Hospital, and will evaluate its impact and cost effectiveness.
WACRF – formerly known as the Telethon-Perth Children’s Hospital Research Fund – was established by the Department of Health and the Channel 7 Telethon Trust in 2012 to provide financial support to research projects that focus on the health of children and adolescents in WA.
This week, Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson announced almost $600,000 in WACRF funding has been awarded to Professor Liz Davis and her team for the innovative study. Professor Davis and team are strongly committed to providing access to the very best treatments and technologies to all children; this funding will support evaluating the clinical resources required, the impact, and the cost effectiveness of making these technologies available for all at or immediately after the time of a T1D diagnosis. The study team hopes that this will provide all children diagnosed with T1D with the best possible start in managing diabetes, and that the results will inform a new model of care.
Type 1 diabetes is one of the most common childhood chronic conditions in Australia, is lifelong, and there is no cure. It is an autoimmune disease where the pancreas stops making sufficient insulin and insulin must therefore be replaced to keep blood glucose levels in range. Due to the challenges managing this delicate balance, complications of diabetes still occur in some resulting in reduced lifespan and quality of life.
Automated insulin delivery, via a hybrid closed loop (HCL) system, is now accepted as the most effective method to improve diabetes management, with proven benefits in clinical trials and real-world studies. It can also reduce some of the burden on parents and children living with T1D, and improve quality of life. HCL consists of a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) providing real time glucose information wirelessly to an insulin pump that then automatically adjusts insulin delivery as required to maintain target glucose levels, even when the child (and parents) are asleep.
Despite a national subsidy for the CGM technology component of these systems, current access to the HCL is limited to those able to pay for the pump component of the system. This generally restricts the very best technology to those with expensive private health insurance or access to limited philanthropic programs, creating inequity in access to the best care and driving disparity in health outcomes.
Professor Davis will lead the study alongside her The Kids Research Institute Australia and Perth Children’s Hospital colleagues; Professor Tim Jones, Associate Professor Mary Abraham, Clinical Associate Professor Craig Taplin, Dr Kate Lomax and Leanne Cromb. Dr Ella Zomer and Professor Sophia Zoungas (Monash University), and Dr Ann Carrigan and Professor Yvonne Zurynski (Macquarie University) will also be co-investigators in the study.
Professor Davis said improving the lives of all children and families living with T1D is a critical goal of the study, with expected benefits for the healthcare system and wider society.
“If given the opportunity for best treatment, we know it will deliver the best outcomes for all newly diagnosed families, and for our health system.”
“This novel clinical care model will aim to reduce diabetes burden for children living with T1D and their families, improve health outcomes and reduce long-term complications associated with T1D, as well as expected positive outcomes for the WA health care system.”
Associate Professor Craig Taplin, Head of Diabetes Service at PCH, said a major barrier in Type 1 diabetes management in Australia was that, for a large proportion of youth, access to the best technology is not available.
“With this funding we are excited to implement the very best technology immediately, and for all, and evaluate how this can best be done.”
This study will fall under the Models of Care work at the JDRF Global Centre of Excellence based at The Kids Research Institute Australia.
Jo Mullins, Chief Operating Officer at JDRF Australia says, "JDRF Australia is committed to translation of research and equitable access to all therapies and technologies that improve the lives of those with type 1 diabetes. We commend the WA Government for their support in advancing research that seeks to provide early and equitable access to cutting-edge diabetes technology for all children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.”
“This initiative represents a critical stride towards enhancing the lives of children and their families impacted by T1D. The outcomes of this study hold great promise for transforming diabetes management for all children and we anticipate the substantial positive impact it will have on the T1D community, regardless of their financial circumstances.