[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10505]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      ARTIFICIAL PANCREAS RESEARCH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 6, 2011

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my strong support for 
additional research and testing of a new technology that would enable 
persons with diabetes to better control their blood glucose levels. 
Type 1 diabetes is a dangerous and debilitating disease. Nearly 26 
million Americans are living with diabetes. People with diabetes often 
suffer heart attacks, seizures, comas, and blindness.
  An artificial pancreas is a device that may help people with type 1 
diabetes better and automatically control blood glucose level. It 
combines a continuous glucose monitor and an insulin pump with 
sophisticated software to provide the right amount of insulin at the 
right time. A recent study estimates that this technology will result 
in nearly $2 billion in savings to Medicare over 25 years.
  Several inpatient studies have demonstrated that the use of an 
artificial pancreas may reduce dangerous fluctuations of blood sugars. 
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently reviewing a 
proposed guidance developed by the Juvenile Diabetes Research 
Foundation that would allow outpatient testing of the artificial 
pancreas.
  It is my hope that the FDA will make the review of this proposed 
guidance one of its highest priorities, and that outpatient testing of 
the artificial pancreas will be allowed to begin as soon as possible.

                          ____________________