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

Sat Apr 10 14:12:12 UTC 2010

Dear Cheryl,
I am sorry if I have offended anyone on this list. That was certainly not my 
intent. Nor was it my intent to put down medical companies or the 
government.

Chanelle
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 10, 2010 9:09 AM
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] talking insulin pump remote: Pump Mate

> Chanelle:
>
> We need to know everything out there on anything from accessible meters 
> and pumps, to new meds and other things.
>
> I had wanted to post things from the ADA itself on here when there is a 
> call to congress and dlife  but I was told not to.  Maybe next time I will 
> not listen and just post it.
>
> Cheryl Echevarria
> Independent Travel Consultant
> C10-10646
>
> http://Echevarriatravel.com
> 1-866-580-5574
>
> http://blog.echevarriatravel.com
> Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel 
> CST-1018299-10
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Chanelle Hill" <chanellemh at gmail.com>
> To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, April 10, 2010 9:59 AM
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] talking insulin pump remote: Pump Mate
>
>
>> 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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>> >> Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
>> >> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
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>> >> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/k7uij%40panix.com
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
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>> >
>>
>>
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>
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