On this episode of Diabetes Connections In the news…
The ADA conference controversy continues with a boycott now, new patch pump approved, an update on long running research to reverse type 1, plus consensus guidelines on T1D screening, intermittent fasting for type 1, a new surprising study about COVID and T1D, statins, type 2 and dementia, and lots more..
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Transcript:
On this episode of Diabetes Connections In the news…
The ADA conference controversy continues with a boycott now, an update on long running research to reverse type 1, plus consensus guidelines on T1D screening, intermittent fasting for type 1, a new surprising study about COVID and T1D, statins, type 2 and dementia, and lots more..
It’s all coming up right after this.
(AD BREAK)
Welcome! I’m your host Stacey Simms and this is an In The News episode.. where we bring you the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. A reminder that you can find the sources and links and a transcript and more info for every story mentioned here in the show notes.
We are off to Detroit this week for Moms’ Night Out in Bloomfield Michigan. Super excited and as usual I’m getting last minute emails and DMs about respiration from people just finding out about the event. We will always figure it out so drop me a line. But please register now for Seattle next month! Tampa will be open soon as well!
Want to let you know about a webinar I’m doing with Abbott later this month. That’s Sept 23 at 7pm ET. We’ll be talking about ketones, DKA and learn more about their dual CGM/ketone monitor that was just approved. Great crowd already registered for that, hope you can join us. The link is in the show notes.
Okay.. our top story this week:
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Member of the American Diabetes Association… are now boycotting it. The notice of the boycott condemns leadership’s actions after five researchers were removed by police from its annual meeting in June.
Significantly, The editors of ADA’s flagship journal, Diabetes Care, have joined on in support of the boycott.
“Manuscripts submitted will not be handled until the boycott is over,” said Steven Kahn, MBChB, the journal’s editor in chief and one of the five researchers ejected from the meeting in New Orleans, in a LinkedIn post on Thursday.
Kahn told MedPage Today that “the journal boycott is like establishing a picket line.
The boycott already has hundreds of signatures of people who have pledged to suspend all ADA-related activities, including:
Planning or attending any meetings led by ADA leadership or the board, including the 2027 ADA Scientific Sessions
Participating in board-led activities regarding the investigation of the meeting’s events, or the report generated by the “so-called ‘independent’ committee”
Engaging in all other ADA operations, including presentations, fundraisers, grant reviews, manuscript reviews, journal management, manuscript submissions, and position statements
The boycott will remain active until the ADA board of directors permits an independent formal review of the organization’s structure and function to ensure it “properly represent[s] its professional membership.” If demands are not met, signees plan to align with existing or newly formed medical societies.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/diabetes/122977
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd4h548X9qXgkVREQ71k2gDHiU8WFAFF78wTnmS20_ntwUM0w/viewform
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A new patch pump is coming to the US.. Beta Bionics, Inc. announces FDA clearance of Mint, the Company’s patch pump featuring a transformative reusable and disposable architecture that does not require recharging, integrates with industry-leading continuous glucose monitors (CGM) and enables smartphone control for iOS and Android users.
The Company expects to initiate the full commercial launch of Mint in the United States in the first quarter of 2027
Mint is expected to launch exclusively through the pharmacy channel.
Also announced, that Eversense 365 is now compatible with Beta Bionics Senseonics expects development of the Eversense 365-iLet integration to be
completed during the fourth quarter of 2026. Commercial launch is planned following completion of integration activities in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to required testing, validation activities and applicable regulatory requirements. No word yet on timing for Eversense with Mint.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/09/14/tmt-newswire/globenewswire/beta-bionics-announces-fda-clearance-of-mint-the-companys-transformative-patch-pump-and-unveils-3d-intelligence-as-its-next-generation-insulin-dosing-algorithm/2424457
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Seven years after Johns Hopkins researchers discovered a previously unknown immune cell called the “X cell,” they’re now exploring whether that discovery could lead to a new treatment for type 1 diabetes.
In preclinical studies, researchers developed an antibody that was able to target and eliminate specific immune cells responsible for attacking the pancreas’s insulin-producing beta cells, while leaving the rest of the immune system intact.
The researchers say the approach is especially promising because it could potentially reverse the autoimmune process soon after a type 1 diabetes diagnosis, rather than simply managing blood sugar. The work is still in the early stages and has not yet been tested in people; additional laboratory and preclinical studies are needed before human clinical trials can begin.
sclerosis.https://hub.jhu.edu/2026/09/09/federal-funds-support-type-1-diabetes-treatment/
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A new international consensus recommends routine screening for type 1 diabetes in the general population, offering the first framework for how healthcare providers could put widespread screening into practice. The guidance recommends screening children between ages 2 and 4, with children who test negative screened again at ages 6–8 and 10–15. Screening uses a blood test to look for islet autoantibodies, which can signal that the immune system is attacking insulin-producing cells years before symptoms appear or insulin is needed. Finding type 1 diabetes early can greatly reduce the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, at diagnosis and may give people access to treatments such as teplizumab that can delay progression to clinical T1D.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/breakthrough-t1d-convened-paper-outlines-first-international-consensus-guidance-on-general-population-screening-for-early-stage-type-1-diabetes-302875788.html
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Eating only between noon and 8 p.m. improved blood sugar control in a small study of adults with Type 1 diabetes and obesity, while avoiding an increase in serious complications. The promising findings offer the first evidence that time restricted eating could become another tool for managing the condition.
For the study, Varady recruited adults with Type 1 diabetes who were also classified as obese
After six months, the time-restricted eating group showed better blood sugar results than the calorie-reduction group. HbA1c, a blood test that reflects average blood sugar over the previous several months, fell by about 0.5% on average in the time-restricted group.
Couple of things here – very small study, only 32 people in total, who were then randomly placed in three groups with different styles of eating. Also, the lead researcher says this is the first study of it’s kind for type 1 – which is obviously not true – you can do a quick google search or listen to past episodes of this show..
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260909231740.htm
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A large Danish study found that COVID-19 infection was associated with a slightly lower, rather than higher, risk of subsequently developing type 1 diabetes in people under age 30. Researchers studied more than 2,100 people diagnosed with T1D and found an overall 16% lower risk following a documented COVID infection, with the strongest association—a 42% reduction—seen 31 to 180 days after infection. The reduced risk appeared primarily among people who had not been vaccinated against COVID-19, although researchers cautioned that the vaccination findings were less certain. Importantly, this was an observational study, so it cannot show that COVID infection actually protects against type 1 diabetes or explain what caused the association. Researchers say the findings conflict with some earlier studies and should be investigated in other countries and populations.
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260908/COVID-19-linked-to-lower-subsequent-risk-of-type-1-diabetes.aspx
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Semaglutide, a medication widely used for type 2 diabetes and weight loss, may also provide an unexpected benefit for people with asthma. New research presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain, found that semaglutide use was associated with a reduction in asthma attacks of nearly 40%.
The study was led by Professor Chloe Bloom, Clinical Associate Professor in Respiratory Epidemiology at the National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, UK, and presented by Dr. Bohee Lee.
Exploring GLP 1 Drugs and Lung Health
Dr. Bloom said: “GLP-1 receptor agonists are widely used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. Previous research suggests that they may have anti-inflammatory effects and may improve lung-related outcomes. However, asthma and COPD outcomes have not been included as outcomes in GLP-1 drug trials.
“We wanted to use real-world health records to investigate whether people with asthma or COPD who started GLP-1 receptor agonists had fewer acute respiratory attacks.”
To investigate that question, the researchers analyzed electronic medical records from the UK. They carried out four parallel studies, each involving between 20,000 and 22,000 people who had started treatment with either a GLP-1 medication or a different type of diabetes drug known as a sulfonylurea.
The results suggested that people with airway diseases such as asthma and COPD who received GLP-1 therapies experienced fewer asthma attacks and COPD flare-ups than comparable patients who were prescribed other diabetes medications.
Semaglutide Showed the Strongest Effect
Among the GLP-1 drugs examined, semaglutide appeared to stand out, particularly for people with asthma.
Bloom explains: “The effect was strongest with semaglutide, especially in people with asthma, where use of semaglutide appears to be associated with nearly a 40% reduction in asthma attacks. Semaglutide also led to a 20% reduction in COPD flare-ups.”
The findings suggest that people who already qualify for GLP-1 receptor agonists because they have obesity or type 2 diabetes could potentially receive an additional benefit for their respiratory health.
However, Bloom emphasized that the results are not enough to recommend these medications specifically as treatments for asthma or COPD.
She explains: “The findings from this study are encouraging, but they should not change treatment decisions on their own. People with asthma or COPD should not start GLP-1 receptor agonists specifically for their lung condition outside current prescribing guidance. While the findings suggest that some people taking GLP-1 receptor agonists may experience fewer respiratory attacks, this needs confirmation in clinical trials.”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260909005155.htm
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A large study suggests women with endometriosis may have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers analyzed health records from nearly 3 million women in Utah and found those diagnosed with endometriosis were 46% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those without the condition. The association was strongest among women who had not yet reached menopause and those without obesity, a group typically considered at lower risk for type 2 diabetes. Certain forms of endometriosis, including those found outside the pelvic area, were associated with more than twice the risk. Researchers say more study is needed, but the findings suggest endometriosis may have health effects beyond the reproductive system and could eventually help identify women who may benefit from earlier diabetes screening.
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/endometriosis-may-increase-type-2-diabetes-risk
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MiniMed files FDA submission for it’s first patch pump, with a planned launch next summer. To be called MiniMed fit, it would have a 300-unit insulin reservoir and would accommodate up to seven days of wear time.
MiniMed also completed enrollment of a pivotal trial for a fully closed loop algorithm, which would calculate the amount of insulin a person needs throughout the day, even if they don’t announce meals or count carbohydrates. Interestingly, on an investor call, the CEO acknowledged that CGMs have been their – quote – Achilles’ heel for a very long time” and that their newest sensor has helped drive insulin pump growth.
https://www.medtechdive.com/news/minimed-submits-new-patch-pump-for-fda-clearance/829313/
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A new study based on national health registers in Denmark suggests starting statin treatment after a type 2 diabetes diagnosis could lower the risk of dementia, and it seems that the sooner patients did, the better.
The research, published in The Lancet Regional Health, is an observational study, meaning it can find statistically relevant patterns at the population level, but doesn’t necessarily explain what caused those patterns.
The results, however, were interesting enough that the researchers, led by medical doctor Tummas Ternhamar of the Copenhagen University Hospital, are urging doctors to consider statin therapy when diagnosing type 2 diabetes patients.
“Statins seem to be underused in patients with type 2 diabetes, despite their protective effects against cardiovascular disease.”
https://www.sciencealert.com/statins-linked-to-lower-dementia-risk-in-massive-type-2-diabetes-study
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Big sports news with type 1. Alezander Zverev wins
Family was at the heart of Alexander Zverev’s U.S. Open triumph on Sunday as the German saluted the members of his inner circle and paid a heartfelt tribute to his mother for refusing to let diabetes define his future.
The top seed beat American Ben Shelton 6-3 7-6(2) 5-7 6-2 at Flushing Meadows to finish a spectacular year at the Grand Slams in which he proved his doubters wrong by going from perennial nearly man to two-time major champion.
Shortly after his victory, Zverev reserved special praise for his mother Irina, a former professional tennis player, and credited her with ensuring type 1 diabetes never limited his ambitions in life.
“When your 4-year-old son is diagnosed with diabetes and doctors in the office tell you that life and sports will be very limited for that child, it takes a very strong mother to say ‘my son will be whatever he wants to be’,” Zverev said.
“‘If he wants to be a tennis player, he’ll be a tennis player. If he wants to do something else, he’ll do something else, but this illness will not define us’.
https://www.reuters.com/sports/tennis/zverev-hails-mothers-belief-after-us-open-triumph-2026-09-13/
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Also, shout out to Garrett Mitchell (Center field Milwaukee Brewers) lives with Type 1 Diabetes and hit a grand slam immediately after having a failed insulin pump site. He was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 9. And I have a T1d mom friend who’s known him since he was a kid. Just great to see athletes talking about failed insulin sets like they’re just part of everyday life.. because they are. Btw it was the first grand slam for the brewers all year.
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The new Netflix movie The Runner is getting a bit of a side eye from some in the diabetes community… the Gal Gadot thriller features a child with type 1 but as usual, there are some weird inaccuracies. Ginger Vieria from Diabetes nerd has a great vide on this – I’ll link it up: but they’re saying things like Insulin Dispenser instead of pump.. and some other weird stuff.. but I’ve heard such bad things about this movie I’m not sure it’s worth watching just for this. Ginger’s video is though!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/o8cw_gEZj5s
