[Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin Pumps?

Tue Feb 4 16:10:36 UTC 2014

Brigit:

Who said anything about giving up? Certainly I did not. Back in the
Precambrian era (starting in 1988), the NFB of Washington started working on
our state's "Braille Bil". We secured passage in 1996. Persistence and
determination are the names of the game.

Where I believe many in the NFB become confused is when they misinterpret my
realism with negativism. To put it bluntly, I believe in knowing one's
enemies before one attacks. I am uncomfortable with ra-ra "we're gonna do
it" rhetoric.

I prefer: here's what we're up against; here's what's unlikely to work -- at
least in the short run -- and here's how we will proceed to flank the
enemies' positions. If it isn't obvious already, I look upon this as a war
-- a war in which we should expect to fight alone almost to its end when
others will jump on the bandwagon, saying that they were for our goals all
along.

To the barricades!

Mike Freeman

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Bridgit Pollpeter
Sent: Monday, February 03, 2014 11:40 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin Pumps?

Okay, I sincerely think Mike has a point, but so do Sandy and Veronica
and the rest in favor of being more positive about the issue. When has
changed ever happened when people lay down and give up? I'm not saying
we are quite there yet, but I see a lot more comments implying this
issue will never budge so why waste the time. The reality is that blind
people have been working and fighting for decades for all manner of
issues, and while we've paved a lot of roads, there's still so much we
are waiting to change. Nonetheless, while I don't always agree with a
particular course of action the Federation takes at times, I do know
that the Federation, and blind people in general, are good at being
inventive  and innovative. What I equally observe is that sometimes we
have difficulty trying new things at first. Maybe our veteran and up and
coming great minds need to collaborate and think up new, creative ways
to go at the issue of accessible technology. Just saying. It's also 1:30
am here, so maybe none of this is coherent, grin.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Sandi
Sent: Monday, February 03, 2014 5:58 PM
To: 'Bill Lewis'; 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin
Pumps?

Perhaps you need to say more.  Things change, and in this world of small
technology and much-improved speech, I think it's likely that it
wouldn't have to cost as much.  And if they built it into each meter and
charged a couple of extra bucks to everyone, instead of heaping it all
on us, I think it could be done reasonably.  Or at least I think we need
to check it out. Things that are don't remain static.  

Sandi

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Bill Lewis
Sent: Monday, February 3, 2014 5:01 PM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin
Pumps?

Sandy, do you remember several years ago, when someone talked with a rep
from Abbott Laboratories about voice-added on meters, and was told that
to break even on cost, other expenses, and make it economical, they
would have to sell 20,000 units per day.  Need I say more?  --  Bill
Lewis

-----Original Message-----
From: Sandi
Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2014 6:51 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin
Pumps?

I agree, Bridget.  It would be handy to have at least the Diabetes
Action Network working on putting a face to the problem.  I know what
the manufacturers think, and all their excuses for not making technology
accessible.  I also know we're a minority.  But there are people out
there who care that everyone has access to health care, and I think we
could act as a collective and accomplish something.

Sandi

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Bridgit Pollpeter
Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2014 1:58 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin
Pumps?

But what also are we doing about it? I mean, as far as I know, there's
no real initiative, no organized group of us going out there and giving
a voice to this problem. I'm not so naïve to think that if we act more
as a collective on this issue medical devices, including pumps, will
magically be developed with accessibility in mind, but it puts a face
and a voice to the issue. I understand this is not the most important
issue blind people face, so groups like the NFB don't take it up as an
individual cause or action, but when we face similar issues, often task
forces are developed, or we connect with other organizations to create a
louder voice. Braille, websites, education, employment, other types of
technology, the Federation is pretty good about taking action and as a
collective, we present our case to the group or company in question. I'm
not saying this need become a a Federation cause the entire organization
acts upon, but right now, especially in terms of accessible pumps, it
seems like individuals are taking up the torch and we are not working as
a collective in any shape or form. I don't know the answers or even how
to make this suggestion a reality, but if we had more of a collective
voice showing up to medical conferences, visiting with companies and the
medical community, doing it on a somewhat larger scale than we currently
are, perhaps we will at least be listened too. When we do this as a
single person, it doesn't make very big ripples in the pond, but if we
had more manpower behind us, maybe a bigger splash will be noticed. Just
talking, or writing rather, out loud, grin.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Mike Freeman
Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2014 11:59 AM
To: 'Everett Gavel'; 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin
Pumps?

Hi, Everett.

I'm afraid the likelihood is damned near nil. You may remember that
Prodigy was supposedly working on an accessible insulin pump a few years
ago but, for all practical purposes, dropped the project. I suspect the
reason was very simple: the development process plus the cost of getting
a pump FDA
510(k) certified so that it could be marketed/sold in the U.s. was too
great for the number of accessible pumps that might be sold.

Moreover, there is in prototype already such a device -- the Pump-mate,
developed by James Kubel of Access Solutions (we gave him a Bolotin
award last year). Take a look at http://www.pump-mate.com to read about
it. At one time, Medtronics engineers were working with him to perfect
the device but said engineers are no longer working for Medtronics and
it won't give Mr. Kubel the time of day anymore. I suspect the reason is
exactly the same -- too costly to develop and get a system certified for
the revenue that would be generated.

I realize that no one wants to hear/read this but I think we should
confront reality head-on: this is part of what it means to be a minority
(remember, we've said from the days of Kenneth Jernigan onward that the
blind are a minority).

I wish things would change but there's no easy fix.

Mike Freeman

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Everett Gavel
Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2014 9:19 AM
To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin Pumps?

Hi Mike, and all,

I've signed on recently for a Medtronic pump, though the actual name
escapes me as i write this. Sorry about that. However, despite the beeps
and bops it makes audibly, it's not, of course, actually accessible as
we know accessibility.

It comes with it's own glucose meter, and my question (if not more a
suggestion to the industry) is, what is the likelihood of Prodigy, which
makes an accessible, talking glucose meter (which I absolutely love),
working with pump makers to incorporate their prodigy meter to work with
pumps instead of these inaccessible models now being used?

Just an idea to throw out there, I guess.

Strive On!
Everett

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