JDRF in the US has launched a programme aimed at early detection of Type 1 diabetes, built around an easy-to-use home test kit, Mike Hoskins from Healthline reports.
T1Detect, developed by Bay Area biotech company Enable Biosciences, is a finger-prick test that looks for particular autoantibodies in the blood that are the most important markers for the condition.
Many Type 1 diabetes diagnoses are dramatic affairs that land many children and adults in hospital — sometimes with near-death experiences — and a large majority of newly diagnosed have no warning or family history of this chronic condition, so a test kit like this could be a game changer.
“This ground-breaking initiative is an important milestone for JDRF because it will increase awareness about early-stage Type 1, provide access to crucial education and support for those at risk, and pave the way to ensuring that Type 1 diabetes screening becomes part of universal, clinical preventive services, says JDRF CEO Dr Aaron Kowalski.
The home kit is available from manufacturer Enable Biosciences for $55. JDRF is also subsidising it for those who might not be able to afford the full cost, at a discount price of just $10.
Full results can take up to six weeks, along with a full explanation of what those results mean and your next steps.
