A revolutionary new cell transplant treatment could eventually lead to a cure for diabetes.
Initial trials of injecting insulin creating cells from a donor have proved such a success in treating type I diabetes, that the government is funding a £7 million programme to continue the research.
Type I diabetes is not connected to lifestyle factors such as obesity and usually develops during childhood, says the report.
The method involves taking cells from a dead donor and injecting them into the patient’s liver where they will begin to produce insulin.
Commenting on the new development, Stephanie Amiel, professor of diabetic medicine at King’s College Hospital and King’s College London, said: “People with Type I diabetes often live extremely regimented lives, requiring self blood testing four or more times per day, injecting insulin five times per day and constantly being aware of the food they eat, level of exercise and levels of alcohol consumption”
She added that by developing the technique it can be made suitable for more people with type I diabetes and could eventually result in a cure.
It had recently been reported that doctors aggressively pushing down blood sugar levels in diabetic patients have noted an increase in deaths in high risk patients, according to the Great Beyond.
