First drug to delay onset of type 1 diabetes made available on NHS
Summary
The NHS in England and Wales will start offering teplizumab, the first drug that can delay type 1 diabetes symptoms by about three years. This medicine helps people avoid the need for insulin treatment for longer by slowing down the immune system's attack on insulin-producing cells.Key Facts
- Teplizumab is an immunotherapy drug that delays type 1 diabetes onset by roughly three years.
- The drug is available for children aged eight and older who are at risk but have not yet developed symptoms.
- Type 1 diabetes happens when the immune system attacks the pancreas's insulin-producing cells.
- People with type 1 diabetes must monitor blood sugar and take insulin to survive.
- Early diagnosis is important; teplizumab is given before symptoms start, identified by blood tests.
- The UK does not have routine screening for type 1 diabetes risk, unlike Italy, which has a national program.
- Hundreds of children and young people in the UK are expected to benefit from the drug each year.
- Families and charities see this treatment as a major breakthrough after many years of research.
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