"Give priority to drugs that will save us from corona" Israel today

Diabetics in a call to the Minister of Health: "are at increased risk due to the epidemic" • Require: Add to the basket an innovative device that maintains normal levels of sugar in the body

• The "artificial pancreas" device

  Photography: 

  Medtronic

"Diabetics live with a particularly high risk because of our very high risk of corona complications and death, so we appeal to you to give priority to treatments and medications that can save lives and protect patients at increased risk, especially in this year of corona."

This is what the heads of associations of juvenile diabetes patients (type 1 diabetes) recently wrote to Health Minister Yuli Edelstein ahead of the basket committee's discussions that opened this week.

As revealed in "Israel Today", the corona epidemic continues to reach the heart of the struggles and discussions about adding new drugs to the health basket, this time following a new demand from the Association of Juvenile Diabetes Association that requires an innovative and expensive device called "artificial pancreas" (officially named "Minimed 780"). "), Which is connected to the patient's body and performs through a constant and continuous independent continuous sensor 24/7 of blood sugar levels.

According to the test results, it causes the insulin to be infused automatically and regularly through a pump. 

The drug basket committee, headed by Prof. Shuki Shemer, convened last Monday for a first zoom meeting, and on Tuesday it was reported in "Israel Today" that patients with rare and life-threatening heart disease (cardiac amyloidosis) and patients with severe chronic lung disease (CF) have recently contacted the Minister of Health Edelstein will help them in their fight to add new and expensive drugs to the drug basket, also because of their risk of being severely injured by the corona.

Risk of corona complications

Now the leaders of the Juvenile Diabetes Association (type 1 diabetes) recently wrote to the Minister of Health "We ask you to lead a policy of prioritizing treatments for patients who are at risk for corona complications, such as type 1 diabetics who are at highest risk for corona complications and even death.

The importance of maintaining a balance of sugar levels is dramatic, especially during this period, when many patients are for many months in social and economic isolation for fear of their health and lives, but fortunately there is now an 'artificial pancreas' treatment that can reduce risks and maintain normal sugar levels and prevent health complications. ".

Because of the high price

In their letter, they also noted that data have already been published in the UK showing that the number of deaths from type 1 diabetes has increased 3.5 times since the corona compared to the last two years, and that a study in Israel found that 40% of severe corona patients are diabetic.

The letter is signed by Shadi Cassis, CEO of the Al-Shuja'an Juvenile Diabetes Association, and Yael Neiman, CEO of the Sweets for the Road Association.

Juvenile diabetes (type 1) is a medical condition in which the pancreas does not produce insulin, and as a result patients suffer from extreme sugar levels that constantly endanger their health and lives.

It is estimated that there are about 35,000 juvenile diabetics in Israel, and Medtronic's "artificial pancreas," one of the largest medical technology companies in the world, was submitted this year as a candidate to be included in the 2021 health basket for 2,000 patients over the age of 14. NIS 10 million.

A year ago, the device was submitted to the basket committee and received a high rating for its necessity for patients, but did not enter due to the HMOs' claims about its excessive and too high price.

Dorit Moshkovitz, from Raanana, is the mother of 15-year-old Shahar, who was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes two years ago.

She said, "Since the discovery of the disease, the whole family's life has been turned upside down. The disease requires grueling treatment 24 hours a day and work to reach and maintain balance. Until recently, it required about 18 punctures a day and calculations on everything it puts in its mouth. "On a pump, but it still suffers from drops and rises in the sugar level, and we must constantly measure the state of the sugar and be under supervision." 

Dawn care includes getting up every night, which affects both his parents' functioning and his functioning during the day.

"He is afraid to go to sleep, he gets up at night to check his sugar. During the day he is nervous and tired, and I also go around for almost two years as a kind of sleepwalker due to getting up at night."

According to Dorit, "We can not win the war on balance without the use of appropriate technology, and today there is a system that can give my son the opportunity to live an almost normal life. A system that will regulate and inject insulin automatically according to his lifestyle and thus keep him balanced. It is also important for the complications of the disease, also for its future.It is another child and it has a far-reaching effect.In addition, even in this period of the corona I am anxious that it is already known that diabetes is linked to diabetes imbalance and the corona and it can be, God forbid, fatal for My Son".

Gives peace of mind

Prof. Ram Weiss, director of the pediatric ward at Rambam Government Hospital in Haifa, told Israel Today that "the new device takes the field of the 'artificial pancreas' one step further.

This is a system with balance targets that are closer to normal values ​​compared to its predecessors, thus further improving the balance and protecting against sharp sugar drops.

This is especially critical during the sleeping hours of patients whose sleep is severely impaired without such a device.

"Now in the corona period, when a significant proportion of patients are reluctant to go to hospitals, such a system adapts itself to the patient and saves adjustments made by the clinic staff."

Yuval Or from Kfar Saba, 33, who was one of the 40 patients who received the device as part of a study conducted by Medtronic at the Sheba Government Hospital in Tel Hashomer, was already experimenting with the device.

He said, "Since I was attached to the device I have peace of mind and I feel as safe and close to a healthy state as possible. I really do not remember when my sugar was so balanced. My big fear all these years was always what to eat and when, from fussing calculations and sometimes unable to function. I do not know how I will manage once this research is over and I will not be with the device. "