The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the agency is working with Abbott Diabetes Care to recall 359 different lots of glucose test strips marketed under the following brand names:

• Precision Xceed Pro;
• Precision Xtra;
• Medisense Optium;
• Optium;
• OptiumEZ; and
• ReliOn Ultima

These strips are used with Abbott’s Precision Xtra, Precision Xceed Pro, MediSense Optium, Optium, Optium EZ and ReliOn Ultima blood glucose monitoring systems. As many as 359 million strips may be affected by the recall. The blood glucose monitoring systems are not affected by this recall.

Read the full press release.

The program will focus on developing a better understanding of the autoimmune response that causes human type 1 diabetes and discovering novel therapeutic approaches to eliminate or prevent the autoimmune response.”

You can read more at JDRF.org.

Re “Rediscovering the First Miracle Drug” (Oct. 5): As a father of a 16-year-old who has lived with diabetes for well over eight years, I recognize that injectable insulin was not a cure, and still isn’t. It is merely life support. But we must recognize that the researchers who discovered insulin paved the way for significant advances that continue to this day — including reformulating the insulin molecule to more closely mimic the workings of a human pancreas. These improvements not only benefit people today but are steps on the road to an artificial pancreas — an automated system that will better manage the blood sugar of people with Type 1 diabetes.

JDRF is here for people with Type 1 diabetes. We’re here to raise funds for research, helping to contribute over $1.5 billion towards a cure.

We’re here to provide compassionate support and welcome information for people with Type 1 diabetes – the help you need to live a happy life. We’re here to lead the people who want to get involved.  Whether it’s donating, volunteering, running in a race, any way you want to help, we can make it happen.

We’re here to help:

• Are you looking for information about what Type I (one) Diabetes is?
• Are you Newly Diagnosed and looking for help?
• Are you looking for Networking or Support Groups?
• Do you want to donate to help find a cure?

Thanks to Channel 27′s Diana Henry for being an emcee.

Senator Feingold has sent this letter to Senators Tom Harkin, chairman, and Mike Enzi, ranking member, of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions urging the committee to reauthorize the Special Diabetes Program.

We would like to thank Senator Feingold for his support of the program.

Attending the meeting were Tom Liebe, Past President, and son Aaron, Mike Wokasch, Board Secretary, Jennifer Wickman, advocacy chair, and daughter Stella, and Laurie McLeod, member at large, and her son Aidan.

From living independently, to relationships and starting a family, to work life, adults with type 1 diabetes face unique challenges. But there are millions of people who are living successfully with the disease. The resources in this section provide helpful, practical information and an inside look into how others are overcoming obstacles.

Request a copy of the “Adult Type 1 Toolkit” now

The following is from a dLife story:

Kris Freeman may have won the 30K cross-country race at the U.S. National Championships in Anchorage, Alaska last month – had he not been forced to stop and test his blood sugar late in the race. Freeman came in second.

***

Freeman, who wears an OmniPod, blogs about the difficulties of competing with type 1 diabetes.

“I get nervous before a race and release sugar just like everyone else. Unfortunately my regulatory system is broken and I have to give myself the appropriate amount of insulin. This is where things get tricky. How nervous I am affects how much sugar I release into my body. More nerves equal more glucose. The difficult part is there is no real way to monitor how nervous I am.”

read more…

You can watch a recent interview with Kris:

Learn more about effective coping skills for:

• Living with Diabetes — the challenges facing children and families
• Communicating effectively with spouses, children and extended family members
• What to ask, and listen for, when speaking to physicians and healthcare providers
• Recognizing and addressing the needs of your child’s siblings
• Getting your teenager to be responsible about taking care of their diabetes

Presenter: Joe Solowiejczyk, RN, MSW, CDE – Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Institute
Location: Alliant Energy Center, Madison
Date/Time: Wednesday, April 14, 2010
6:30 p.m. – Reception
7:00 p.m. – Program
RSVP: Gena Van Kirk, Animas: 608-397-7756 or gvankirk@its.jnj.com
JDRF Western Wisconsin Chapter: 608-833-2873 or westernwi@jdrf.org

Read more, download the It’s a Family Affair! flyer.