Latest Developments with Dexcom

Dexcom is the premier CGM system in the marketplace today. It's not perfect and it's not cheap but it is the standard. I use it and am quite happy with it other than the fact that with the Dexcom 6 they built in a forced expiration after 10 days of usage. This is American capitalism […]

High COVID-19 Death Rates Among Type I Diabetics

In general, Type I diabetics are 3.5 times more likely to die from the virus than the general population. Even more so than Type II's who typically have more co-morbidities. Researchers have had a hard time pinning down the causes for this. A likely candidate, though, is the fact that Type I diabetes is an […]

Over the Counter Hearing Aids vs. Professionally Assisted Fittings

Now that legislation has passed allowing Over The Counter (OTC) sales of hearing aids the debate will go on until there is actual experience by consumers purchasing hearing aids on their own. We know that DIYers may prefer this method but most people will probably want some help. The audiology and hearing aid dispensing communities […]

Have An Artificial Pancreas New Year!

Okay,maybe this only important to a select few, but there really were some breakthroughs in diabetes management technology this year. And next year the first real combined continuous glucose monitor and insulin pump goes on the market. Forget the cure they have been promising for decades. This is truly a technological breakthrough for Type I […]

Most Common Workplace Injury in America

Among the most under-reported news stories is the impact of hearing loss in the workplace. A critical corollary of this story is that only the VA offers a true hearing benefit. Hearing loss is now linked to onset of dementia among other diseases of the elderly. As Baby Boomers get older this will increasingly become a […]

Continuous Glucose Monitoring Takes Another Step Forward

The Dexcom 5 has been approved by the FDA for use in place of daily finger stick testing. This is a big deal. Until now Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) have been classified as something to use along with finger stick testing. This ruling by the FDA is one more step forward toward the holy grail of […]

Uber for Health Anyone?

Much has been written about concierge healthcare. And there are numerous successful practices not the least of which is One Medical. The idea is to structure  the entire process in a way that makes sense to a specific type of healthcare consumer. One Medical caters to a youngish professional who prefers to handle everything digitally […]

Wellness 2.0

Since all the hullabaloo last year about 23 and Me, the whole area of genetic profiling has taken several more steps forward. Biotech legend Lee Hood is betting $36 million that there is a consumer market for "scientific wellness." By that he means using individualized genetic information along with actual health data to develop a […]

Making Diabetes Affordable

Actually, I am talking about the cost of diabetes testing equipment. For years the cost of testing strips has bee so high that insurance companies carefully monitor monthly usage to make sure that they are not paying for anything beyond what the doctor prescribed. Most diabetics who are serious about their care tend to use […]

Islet Cell Implantation Research

Type I diabetes destroys the islet cells that deliver insulin to the body. It's not fair. No matter how well I take care of my diabetes, in diet and exercise, the disease is relentless. If I could simply add islet cells back into my pancreas I wouldn't be diabetic any longer. Easier said than done. […]