[Diabetes-Talk] The Stupidity of Medtronic.

Wed Jun 19 02:27:13 UTC 2019

It's not just Medtronic. Even the Abbott Company and insurance companies require blind people to get the completely inaccessible meter, and if on the pre-approval for you say you don't need a meter they don't even look at your approval information. And all of you have made good points. Not approving something because results are better is just stupid, so let's all brainstorm about how we can get people to listen to us. I don't think we can do this before convention but perhaps we need to start having Diabetic calls specifically addressing these issues and we can develop some strategies to get companies to start listening again. 

Jeanette

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Walter Mitchell via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2019 9:25 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Cc: Walter Mitchell
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] The Stupidity of Medtronic.

Yes, I am on the National DAN Board and I was on the committee. There was others as well Bernadette was on the board. The DAN was the originator of the idea.

Walter Mitchell
V-President, Ohio Diabetes Action Network
Board member, National Diabetes Action Network
(513) 582-8606
Walterl.mitch2 at gmail.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2019 9:14 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Cc: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] The Stupidity of Medtronic.

Is anyone from the DAN board on the committee? Is national working with DAN on this? If not, it should.

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Michael Barber via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2019 6:06 PM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Michael Barber <m.barber817 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] The Stupidity of Medtronic.

Anil Lewis is the person heading up this committee at this time.

Cordially,
Michael D. Barber

> On Jun 18, 2019, at 5:59 PM, Eileen Scrivani via Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Walter,
> 
> Do you know who took the places of Eric & Dylan? My thinking is that a 
> diabetic with understanding of pump use & glucose monitors and who is blind from this group should be on that committee. I’m disgusted with the lack of motivation, interest, what ever the driving force is to try and get something done for diabetics who are blind and need to use these devices be they pumps, glucose monitors. I believe they should not be thrown into a large group of generic appliances.
> 
> I have my pump that's working and under warrantee so I feel safe, for a while, but I am very worried about the future and am frightened for those blind diabetics whose pumps breakdown and won’t be able to get replacement pumps. Luckily for the person I spoke with yesterday, after speaking with me they called Medtronics who said they would work with them to get a pump they could use. At some point the supply of Medtronic pumps that a blind person can operate will dry up and go away. When I’ve spoken with Medtronic reps & my pump trainer they swear to me they are working on getting another pump that will be operational, but when, when. It is frightening to think about it.
> 
> Eileen
> 
> From: Walter Mitchell via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2019 5:29 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' 
> Cc: Walter Mitchell
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] The Stupidity of Medtronic.
> 
> I understand your comments, but my questions are based around, just how we lost both our experts in close proximity. We made a considerable amount of noise with them and without them, we haven't made a sound. In my book, I don't think that was a coincidence. That is just my opinion.
> 
> Walter
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Veronica Elsea via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2019 5:13 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Cc: Veronica Elsea
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] The Stupidity of Medtronic.
> 
> Actually, this is slightly nicer than what used to be on their web site.
> As for the NFB, in 2018, the accessible medical equipment task force 
> started off working very hard and really was setting up goals, plans and assigning tasks to people. Unfortunately the NFB transferred everything to the Jernigan Institute. They dropped all of the medical equipment into one giant bill, which aims to address everything from dish washers to DVD's. They want the Access board to set up rule making and so on and so forth. If I follow this language, it will be at least 10 years before anything happens. And nobody using current diabetes management equipment is currently asked to help. So from where I sit, looks like they dropped us. But while it lasted, it was a good task force and I worked my butt off. Okay, it's still there. Darn! <grin> But I do live in fear of what will happen when Insulet decides to discontinue the model of PDM I'm using. And to think we could be a year further along in our efforts if things had continued as they started last year. Very disappointing.
> Veronica
> 
> 
> "Guide Dogs, First Hand", Veronica Elsea's classic album is now available on iTunes, along with other music from her and from the Guide Dog Glee Club. 
> To learn more, visit:
> http://www.laurelcreekmusic.com
>                Veronica Elsea, Owner
> Laurel Creek Music Designs
> Santa Cruz, California
> Phone: 831-429-6407
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2019 2:01 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Cc: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] The Stupidity of Medtronic.
> 
> It's wrong but pretty standard pump language. Most companies have a similar warning. I know pens used to have similar verbiage and there was a legal action to remove this language from pen info and packaging. Wondering if something similar needs to happen with pump companies. Although, now that Medtronic is no longer making the 530G, there are not currently any pumps with work-arounds on the market.
> 
> BTW, we tried to get a group together to work on this accessibility issue, and the only thing to come out out of it was a bitchfest about using Facebook in addition to the listserve. So...
> 
> Bridgit
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of 
> Eileen Scrivani via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2019 3:33 PM
> To: NFB Diabetes Talk <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Eileen Scrivani <etscrivani at verizon.net>
> Subject: [Diabetes-Talk] The Stupidity of Medtronic.
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> I got an email from Medtronic today and its subject was “Pre-travel Tips To Get You Ready For Summer.” It sounded interesting to me so I decided to click on a link in the message that brought me to their web site. I was reading along and then came their disclaimer which while I know its how they think, I couldn’t believe they had the below written out. The article was talking about the latest & greatest pumps they make which as blind diabetics we can’t use. Maybe though they should make a statement that their current pumps do not take into account accessibility rather than saying someone without vision or impaired vision should not be using insulin pump therapy. I find it especially upsetting since I just was put in touch with a person yesterday who’s current pump is going out of its warentee soon and this person is in the rough position of finding a pump to use independantly. 
> 
> By the way, folks, where is the DAN on working on this topic for getting accessibility into pumps? Any plans for the up-coming convention?
> 
> At the end of what I was reading came the following which is very annoying to me. Here’s what it states:
> 
> “Pump therapy is not recommended for people whose vision or hearing 
> does not allow recognition of pump signals and alarms. Pump therapy is 
> not recommended for people who are unwilling or unable to maintain 
> contact with their healthcare professional. The safety of the MiniMed™ 
> 670G system has not been studied in pregnant women. For complete 
> details of the system, including product and important safety 
> information such as indications, contraindications, warnings and 
> precautions associated with system and its components, please consult 
> http://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/important-safety-information#minimed-
> 670g
>  and the appropriate user guide at
> http://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/download-library”
> 
> If you are interested in reading this for yourselves, , here is the link to what I was reading:
> 
> https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/loop-blog/taking-care-insulin-pump-t
> akes-care/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=eloqua&utm_campaign=may_non-pro
> mo&utm_content=pumpcaretips_first_loopblog2
> 
> 
> Eileen
> 
> 
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> 
> 
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