Imagine a continuous glucose monitor, attached under the skin and a separate smart insulin pump that delivers insulin through a small tube.  Combined together the pump and monitor act like an artificial pancreas. Well, diabetes researchers at Medtronic believe that such a device is the key to helping type 1 diabetics live longer, healthier lives.

Beth Olson, a research program manager of the International Diabetes Center in St. Louis Park, Minnesota called the program a real game changer.

Peer-review research presented in the Journal of  the American Medical Association  noted that participant in an in-home study showed no dangerous drop in blood sugar levels, nor did they present any significant high measurements.

Beth Olson, a research program manager of the International Diabetes Center in St. Louis Park, Minnesota called the program a real game changer.

The new closed loop  technology operates a special algorithm that learns from the blood sugar reading received from the glucose monitor.  When the pump determines if blood sugar levels are rising or falling and automatically adjust the insulin feed to main a near constant blood sugar level in the body.

Trial participant, John Caldwell said that the technology help reduce his A1C from an average of 7.5 to 6.5. “It’s smoothed out my control in  a way that I never do before. I’m spending a lot less time worrying about it and managing it.” Caldwell said that he can just look at the pump and see what his blood sugar is at any time, and it pretty much takes care of controlling it.

Lead researcher, Dr. Richard Bergenstal of the IDC said that there were no episodes of severe hypoglycemia in patients during the study. “The data is compelling and shows that the system’s ability to automate insulin dosing 24 hours a day has the potential to impact patients’ lives in a very meaningful way, particularly at night when it’s most challenging to maintain target blood glucose levels.”