[Diabetes-talk] accessible Insulin pumps

Sun Jun 23 22:15:09 UTC 2013

Just a thought, but could the Federation or diabetes division approach a
group to develop this technology similar to how the Federation requested
a group develop the technology for the blind-driver car? I know it's not
as simple as that, but trying to be a part of the solution, smile.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Mike Freeman
Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2013 3:01 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] accessible Insulin pumps

Julie:

At least here in the U.S., FDA approval is needed to market any such
device. And FDA considers the *whole* device, not just the pump *or* the
display. Thus, FDA would have to approve *both* the iPhone or Android
app *and* the pump and/or CGMS system if such is part of the pumping
system. There is one meter in this country that does communicate with an
iPhone app. But the app is not accessible and even if it were to be made
so, FDA would insist upon going through the whole 510(k) process for the
accessible version of the app, i.e., it won't consider the accessibility
features of an app as merely providing an alternative display.

AS for the Prodigy pump, there was an announcement several years ago
that Prodigy was going to "temporarily" cease development of the
product.

And Roche has been going to develop at least some kind of new device
useful to the blind and visually impaired ever since 2006 and the "going
to" target date keeps receeding into the future. It's a common-sense
inference that anything that recedes like that is a mirage! (grin)

There has been some intimations on this and other lists that Johnson and
Johnson is developing an accessible pump. However, I have seen
absolutely
*no* evidence of such a development and no one I trust has been able to
confirm such development.

The one creditable effort in this regard is by a gentleman, James Kubel,
who spoke at our diabetes seminar last year in Dallas. He has developed
the prototype of a talking remote control that will communicate with
most Medtronics pumps and meters wirelessly. I can send you his
presentation via dropbox if you'd like. You might want to look at
<http://www.pump-mate.com> also. However, he has not been able to get
much backing from Medtronics except at the engineering level and most of
the engineers he worked with were "let go" fromMedtronics. He has asked
the NFB for help in trying to get things moving.

I know the need for an accessible insulin pump is considered desperate
by many and everyone is hoping for such a creature. However, I think we
must be brutally honest with ourselves and face some hard facts:

(1) There is no law, either in the U.s. or elsewhere, to my knowledge,
that mandates that medical equipment such as blood glucose meters, A1C
and/or keton measuring equipment or insulin pumps, be accessible to the
blind.

(2) We, the blind (yes, even diabetics), are a very small minority. One
of the consequences of this fact is that it is just not worthwhile for
major diabetes equipment manufacturers to develop accessible equipment.
When it happens, it's gravy to us. But it is unlikely to happen short of
a legal mandate. And in the U.S., the current political climate is
unfriendly, to say the least, to proposals to place *any* mandates on
business.

(3) Some have suggested that the national Federation of the Blind itself
develop an accessible insulin pump. It's not going to happen. Why?
Because we're a nonprofit corporation and, as such, owe a fiduciary duty
to those who contribute financially to us. It therefore would be
irresponsible in the extreme, moral as we might believe it to be, to
incur the potential medical liability inherent in the development,
approval process and marketing of an accessible insulin pump.

(4) I have contacts at the FDA and it may ultimately require FDA action
to get things moving here in the U.S. But I'm afraid that, short of some
high muckety in a company such as Roche, Medtronics or Sanofi-Aventis
developing diabetes or one of his/her relations developing it and, more
ideally, if said individual developed diabetic retinopathy or blindness
(though this is not what we would wish for), I'm afraid that we can talk
till we're blue in the face and little will come out of it barring a
miracleor a legal mandate.

But we keep trying.

Mike Freeman, President
Diabetes Action Network
National Federation of the blind

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Julie Graham
Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2013 12:00 PM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] accessible Insulin pumps

I'm in the Uk, perhaps they have a release date in mind for here and not
in 
the USA?
I won't believe it til I have it in my hand.  a lot of pumps are
controlled 
by the blood machine? or a remote, would be so easy for someone who
knows 
what they are doing to develop an ap for a device which already has
speach 
built into it, like an iphone which can send info via bluetooth and so
on. I'm guessing if an engineer student got their hands on a 2nd hand
pump they 
could  sort something no bother.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bridgit Pollpeter" <bpollpeter at hotmail.com>
To: "'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2013 7:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] accessible Insulin pumps

> One, I've not heard anything about this pump, nor has my nurse 
> educator, who I work closely with on this topic. And two, consider 
> various products created with the blind in mind. Most these products 
> are developed by sighted people without ever involving blind people in

> the creation and development stages. And what a sighted person deems 
> as accessible is usually far from being truly accessible. Prodigy 
> didn't have a completely accessible meter at first; it took a couple 
> of trys before the current version hit the market.
>
> And any products like this will require FDA approval, and this can 
> take years. I wouldn't trust any company claiming a release date 
> unless they state it already has the approval, but even then...
>
> Bridgit
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Julie Graham
> Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2013 12:13 PM
> To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] accessible Insulin pumps
>
>
> Vapor ware?  you don't believe these companies will release a talking 
> or
>
> accessible pump?  i'm not too sure about the prodigy one but i've been

> told about the Roche INSIGHT pump by my DSN and by the Roche rep for 
> this area.
> Perhaps it won't talk but I was told they were working on something to
> be
> released next year which was designed with blind people in mind
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
> To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2013 6:06 PM
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] accessible Insulin pumps
>
>
>>I consider all the examples you cite below complete vapor ware. More 
>>later.
>>
>> Mike Freeman
>>
>>
>> On Jun 23, 2013, at 7:58, "Julie Graham" <orvil_7 at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> I've only just joined this mailing list and was wondering if anyone 
>>> had any info on the IQ pump by prodigy?  when it's to be released or

>>> how
> it
>>> works?  Also Roche are to release a new pump in 2014 which has been 
>>> designed with the blind and partially sighted in mind or so i'm 
>>> told.
>>>
>>> Driving me crazy when I get no answer from the companies.
>>>
>>> Any information would be greatly appreciated.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Julie Graham _______________________________________________
>>> Diabetes-talk mailing list
>>> Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
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>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
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> ix
> .com
>>
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