Initial patient trials are underway for a “bionic” pancreas that automatically tests and delivers insulin to diabetics. Elle Shaheen, whose grandmother Sen. Jeanne Shaheen chairs the Senate Diabetes Caucus, is one of the first patients to try out the new device. Aaron Kowalski of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation comments.
Elle Shaheen testing bionic pancreas - January 2012 (photo courtesy CNN.com)
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation funding 13 artificial pancreas trials
In the future, the device will be the size of a cell phone, attached to a belt
Algorithms determine how much insulin and Glucagon the patient needs