The $250 Biohack That’s Revolutionizing Life with Diabetes (opens in new tab)

(bloomberg.com)

32 pointsomh7y ago9 comments

9 comments

9 comments · 3 top-level

mindcrime7y ago· 5 in thread

This is incredibly heart-warming to read, especially in light of all the negativity circulating around the tech world lately. This, and things like this, is what I want the tech sphere to enable for people. Technology that allows people to live a better life... or for some people, allowing them to live period.

Now I fully expect the top-rated comment on this story to quickly be a rant about how insane it is to use a non-FDA approved, DIY, device to manage something that is literally life or death...

ghostbrainalpha7y ago

Is it insane to use an unapproved device? Yes.

But what's MORE insane is the number of people dying from insulin management problems with diabetes.

This is the equivalent of someone who invented a Do-It-Yourself Seat Belt, and was installing them in cars back in 1940. Sure I'd rather have a factory approved seat belt, but the DIY solution is helping a lot more than hurting.

devoply7y ago

> Medtronic’s latest FDA-approved product can now do most of the things the Farnsworths’ system can—for $7,000

Considering the price is affordable for most people I can see why people might object to instead relying on a $250 DIY unit.

daveguy7y ago

And apparently it is $250 when the pump is donated. Medically approved pumps are expensive. A lot of the safety control is in that pump and the protocol used to control it. It probably has two way confirmations at every step. Physical safety stops and controls. If you exclude the critical safety component (the pump) from the cost then it will be $250. That pump, with the safety controls and rigorous firmware development needed to pump insulin safely, is probably $4k-5k of the cost of the $7000 commercial pump. Also probably the reason there haven't been reports of people dying from their diy closed loop insulin pumps.

MK_Dev7y ago

A lot of the pumps are either paid for or heavily subsidized by insurance companies. Supplies (insulin, sensors, delivery "needles", etc.) is what gets you

pravula7y ago

There is Dexcom too. https://www.dexcom.com/

modells7y ago· 1 in thread

Growing up, my dad had type 1 from agent orange (dioxin) exposure. Eventually had an insulin pump but it wasn’t a closed feedback loop because of caloric, time-of-day and finger-pricking measurements. The strips were expensive and created biohazard litter. For the safety of others, I wish diabetics would use old strip bottles to contain used ones instead of just binning them bare, because they seem to magically leap out, get everywhere and multiply.

zaroth7y ago

I’m not advocating litter, but the minuscule amount of dried blood left in the tip of a test strip is simply not a safety concern. They can and should be binned.

Proper sharps disposal is important, however. IMO all states should allow simply tossing clipped needles, but some states require sharps containers even for clipped syringes.

rland7y ago

These systems are totally obtainable. It is only liability holding the movement back (since an accidental dose of insulin can kill). Even that is just slowing down the process. The largest difference in quality of life for those with diabetes, imho, is still better quality insulin. Humalog/Novolog are the fastest. For me personally, they begin work in about 30 mins and peak after an hour, with a tapering tail of 1-2 hours. By contrast, natural insulin works within a couple of minutes. For these devices, the largest tech bottleneck has been the CGM, since the technology for delivery and control logic is akin to a PID. Only 2 fronts remain to mechanically cure t1d: an accurate, second-by-second CGM; and a faster insulin analog. Only 1 front remains to have a mostly "hands off" but still clunky mechanical cure—the C.G.M. From there, it is simply a matter of comfort and convenience.

The quality of life difference between managed diabetes and unmanaged diabetes is astounding. Having an A1C higher than 8 or so is almost like going through life constantly tipsy, without any of the fun. Also, as is typical with any health condition, diet and lifestyle play an enormous role. For me, heavy daily exercise and good eating has made diabetes management ridiculously easy.

Lastly, "move fast and break things" emphatically does not work with insulin delivery devices. Overdoses of insulin are debilitating, can occur without the patient's knowledge, and can lead to impairment (like car/equipment accidents), unconsciousness, brain damage, or death after a short while.

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