[Diabetes-talk] Accessible insulin pumps.

[Mike Freeman]

Bridgit:

Yes, we have adopted a resolution on the subject. This was in either 2010 or 2011. But there are several problems implementing such a resolution: The fundamental problem is that there's really no law mandating accestsibility of such devices. That's why passage of the Home Appliance Accessibility Act (HAAA) is so important. Among the other devices it covers is home medical equipment such as glucose meters and insulin pumps.

Given that the law is no help, the only weapons we have are market power and shame. Despite what most blind persons (let alone blind diabetics) imagine, we can eliminate market power. There simply aren't enough of us to warrant development of special equipment such as  talking devices, no matter how easy they are to make. (If the Independence Market sells twenty thousand of anything, it's a land-office business!) Moreover, the potential market isn't all that great, either. One has to admit that one is blind in order to want a talking device.

This leaves, then, shame. But even shame has only limited value in the marketplace unless one can find individuals with influence to shame. Generally, it takes involvement of someone influential with diabetes such as Lee Iacoca (his wife died of diabetic complications) to make things happen. We've tried contacting Medtronics personnel but have so far not succeeded in finding the right person to make things happen.

Dr. Maurer is considering putting pressure on the FDA to move it to get off the dime and put accessibility requirements on device manufacturers. This is a glacial process, however.

But we're working on it.

Mike Freeman



On Oct 31, 2012, at 21:59, Bridgit Pollpeter <bpollpeter at hotmail.com> wrote:

> I think it's time we applied some pressure to these companies. If
> children's toys can have sophisticated speaking abilities, there's no
> reason an insulin pump can't too. Especially if someone is developing a
> device to be compatible with certain pumps, then companies don't have to
> do the work. I think this is a pretty important issue. Has the
> Federation ever adopted a resolution similar to this issue?
> 
> Sincerely,
> Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
> Read my blog at:
> http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
> 
> "History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
> The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Mike Freeman
> Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 9:40 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Accessible insulin pumps.
> 
> 
> Bridgit:
> 
> The device is still in development. It hasn't even been presented to the
> FDA for 510(k) approval for marketing yet. Mr. Kubel can't afford to do
> this by himself and Medtronics has been less than responsive. Dr. Maurer
> has written them once without result. I've told him that perhaps it's
> time to step up the pressure a bit. Mr. Kubel would like to work with
> Medtronics to perfect the device and get 510(k) approval to market it.
> 
> For Linda's benefit, the device is a remote control that allows one to
> interact with the pump, setting basal and bolus rates and also getting
> the readings from a glucose meter that's part of some Medtronics pump
> systems. It was demonstrated this past summer at the DAN Seminar in
> Dallas.
> 
> Mike Freeman
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Bridgit Pollpeter
> Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 10:45 AM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Accessible insulin pumps.
> 
> I have heard about this, but none of my nurse educators have heard
> anything about it. Wondering why this is? And one of them specializes in
> the Medtronic pumps.
> 
> Sincerely,
> Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
> Read my blog at: http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
> 
> "History is not what happened; history is what was written down." The
> Expected One- Kathleen McGowan
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of limestone lady
> Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 7:55 AM
> To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Accessible insulin pumps.
> 
> 
> Hi Mike:
> I just got around to checking the link you provided reguarding the pump 
> mate but, unless I'm missing something, the assumption is that one 
> would have to have a smart phone to use it, which I don't think is fair.
> Linda.
> 
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