[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 96 (Wednesday, June 5, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S3984]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNIZING BREAKTHROUGH T1D

  Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I rise today to commemorate this 
special occasion--the renaming of JDRF to Breakthrough T1D--and the 
leadership that this organization continues to provide in its advocacy 
for children and adults living with type 1 diabetes.
  I am proud to have worked with Breakthrough T1D since my very first 
year in the Senate in 1997. They are a foundation with a singular 
focus: to improve the lives of every person affected by type 1 
diabetes--T1D--by supporting research for treatments, cures, and 
ultimately a way to prevent the disease. They are the premier global 
organization focused on T1D research at every life stage--from stopping 
or slowing the progression of T1D in the newly diagnosed, reversing it 
in those who have lived with it for years, avoiding or reversing 
complications of T1D, and preventing the disease in at risk populations 
and in future generations.
  Today's rebranding from JDRF--the Juvenile Diabetes Research 
Foundation--to Breakthrough T1D represents where we are in the world of 
T1D. It never has been just an affliction for the young. Anyone, at any 
age, can be diagnosed with T1D. Using the term ``juvenile'' no longer 
accurately reflects the organization and its mission. And 
``breakthrough'' may speak for itself. The organization is not only at 
the forefront of supporting research breakthroughs for T1D, but also is 
breaking through the barriers to improve T1D patients' lives. Both 
these significant attributes are now rightly reflected in the 
organization's name.
  Breakthrough T1D will continue to focus on the ultimate goal we all 
share: that no one suffers from T1D. And we must not stop until that 
goal is reached.
  But that goal will only be achieved through more research. That is 
why I am proud to continue my work with Senator Shaheen supporting the 
reauthorization and funding of the Special Diabetes Program--SDP. The 
SDP has funded the creation of unique, innovative, and collaborative 
research consortia and clinical trials networks focused on the 
prevention, treatment, and cure of T1D for more than 25 years. SDP has 
enabled the National Institutes of Health to expand T1D research beyond 
what is possible with annual appropriations and to conduct clinical 
trials that likely would not be done by the private sector. SDP has 
been a key component of many significant breakthroughs in T1D research, 
and I want to highlight two.
  First, the artificial pancreas. The SDP has supported key research 
that helped develop several glucose management technologies, including 
the artificial pancreas. The artificial pancreas is a life-changing 
advance for many with T1D because it automates insulin delivery in 
response to a person's blood glucose level, replacing fingerstick tests 
and individual insulin shots. Funding from the SDP over the past decade 
has revolutionized the field and increased the number of commercially 
available, FDA-approved artificial pancreas devices from zero to seven. 
Today, there are even devices available to children as young as 2.
  Second, we finally have the first FDA-approved treatment to slow the 
progression of T1D. The critical research underpinning this treatment 
came from a clinical trial funded by the SDP. This treatment has now 
brought forward a new era of T1D clinical management by delaying onset 
of the disease by at least 3 years--and potentially more. That is 3 
years without having to take insulin, do fingerstick tests, or deal 
with potential complications from the disease. While the SDP has led to 
countless other breakthroughs in treatment for people living with T1D, 
these two examples highlight the importance of the program, the success 
of the program, and why it needs to expand and continue until no one 
suffers from type 1 diabetes.
  As we continue to strive toward a world where no one is afflicted by 
T1D, we also need to face today's reality where many Americans who need 
lifesaving insulin cannot afford it. The rising cost of insulin 
presents a barrier to care for a number of Americans living with T1D. 
Out-of-pocket costs increase with list prices, and for people without 
insurance, the costs are too often untenable. That is why I am proud to 
work with this organization on a bill to limit out-of-pocket costs for 
insulin for those with T1D, address structural issues in the insulin 
market, and create policies to foster more competition. I will continue 
to work with Breakthrough T1D to ensure insulin affordability for all.
  Please join me in commemorating today's exciting rebranding from JDRF 
to Breakthrough T1D. This organization has been a catalyst in the field 
of T1D research and a champion on issues of importance to this 
community. I am certain that Breakthrough T1D will continue breaking 
through the barriers toward a world where no one is afflicted with type 
1 diabetes.

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