[Diabetes-talk] talking insulin pump remote: Pump Mate

Sat Apr 10 13:59:58 UTC 2010

Dear Mike,
Don't worry; I am not going to flame you. I don't know if the pump-mate is 
ready for prime time as you say. I just happened to stumble upon the website 
yesterday, got really excited, contacted the developers, and posted to the 
list. Maybe I am jumping ahead of things, but the developers encouraged me 
to contact Minimed and to inform others.
You may be right that we are small in number and may not be heeded by 
Minimed; however, it only takes a few minutes to write Medtronic or call. If 
we let friends, family, and healthcare workers know, they may even be 
willing to contact Medtronic on our behalf if they have had knowledge of 
what it is like for someone who is blind to use an insulin pump.
I am ignorant concerning the technology bill of rights. How exactly will 
this help to make insulin pumps accessible? Would Medtronic and other 
companies be ordered to make their products accessible once the bill is 
passed? Would it not be better to get Medtronic's willing compliance if we 
ever could? If this bill is the answer, how do we get our representatives to 
pass it? In terms of the general population, we are also a small part.
I am not trying to criticize you. Any information you may have for me to 
educate myself about the Technology Bill of Rights or how it would pertain 
to diabetes would be greatly appreciated.

Chanelle
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
To: <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, April 09, 2010 9:32 PM
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] talking insulin pump remote: Pump Mate

> Chanelle:
>
> I am in contact with Access Solutions concerning this pump remote but 
> didn't think this was ready for prime time yet. I have informed NFB 
> President Dr. Marc Maurer of this possibility.
>
> I am virtually certain that I will get flamed for what I shall say next 
> and I mean no disrespect to you in saying it. But in my opinion, we can 
> write to Medtronics MiniMed till we're blue in the face and absolutely 
> nothing will come of it. Why? Because there aren't enough of us to make it 
> worthwhile for the company to make the investment to manufacture the pump 
> remote and secure FDA 510(k) cergification for it which would mean that 
> the company would have to certify the remote's accuracy and would take on 
> the risk of liability for flaws.
>
> However, this is not the end of the road. I have spoken with John Pare, 
> Director of NFB Strategic Initiatives and he believes that diabetes 
> equipment including BG meters and insulin pumps would be covered (the 
> Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind, HR-4533, introduced into Congress 
> this year. So we need to work like mad to get our representatives to sign 
> on to this legislation as cosponsors.
>
> Mike Freeman, President
> Diabetes Action Network
> National Federation of the Blind
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Chanelle Hill" <chanellemh at gmail.com>
> To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Date: Friday, Apr 9, 2010 12:27:55
> Subject: [Diabetes-talk] talking insulin pump remote: Pump Mate
>
>>
>>
>> Dear list,
>> I don't know if this information has been posted yet, but it is super 
>> excited. A talking remote is being made for the insulin pump. The remote 
>> is being made by a company called Access Solutions www.axsol.com. I just 
>> spoke with James Kubel, the engineer who created the Pump Mate. He has 
>> had diabetes for 40 years and was frustrated by the lack of a talking 
>> insulin pump and the fact that there was no interest in producing one by 
>> insulin pump companies. The website for the Pump Mate is 
>> www.pump-mate.com
>> James is trying to get Medtronic Minimed's cooperation and support in 
>> developing and producing the Pump Mate. It would be great if those who 
>> are interested could contact Minimed to express interest in the pump mate 
>> and desire that Minimed would help to market and produce it.
>> With the Pump Mate, it is possible to program basal rates, use the Bolis 
>> Wizzard, and hear test results from the meters that Minimed has 
>> specifically designed to transfer data to and from the insulin pump. This 
>> has amazing potential since the Pump Mate could someday be used in 
>> conjunction with the continuous glucose monitoring system.
>> I have pasted James's contact information below, and I am sending him a 
>> carbon copy of this message in case he would like to join the list or 
>> provide feedback.
>>
>> Access Solutions
>> james at axsol.com
>> sales: (916) 481-3559
>>
>> Chanelle
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>
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