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<p>Artificial pancreas research continues to progress in the United States, the United
Kingdom and worldwide. Clinical studies have shown that artificial pancreas systems
can improve blood sugar control, especially overnight, and reduce the number of episodes
of low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). Systems have been successfully used at home for
the overnight period in adolescents and young adults but significant challenges arise
from 24 hour use that remain to be solved, particularly around exercise, food and
physical activity.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Artificial pancreas device systems
and technologies could be made available through National Health Service commissioning
once they have gone through the appropriate regulatory process to demonstrate safety
and efficacy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>UK research in this field is supported
by funders including the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the Wellcome
Trust, Diabetes UK and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), in collaboration
with industry. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect
of human health, including artificial pancreas systems. These applications are subject
to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis
of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for
money and scientific quality.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The NIHR biomedical research
centres at Cambridge and Imperial College London are making a significant contribution
to international research in this field. Dr Roman Hovorka, University of Cambridge,
and Dr Nick Oliver, Imperial College London are members of the Artificial Pancreas
Consortium organised by the JDRF. This consortium meets annually with monthly conference
calls providing a forum for discussions between researchers from the US, UK and Australia.
There have been no formal interchanges between government-funded researchers in the
UK and the US.</p><p> </p>
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