Improvements are on the horizon for Albertans currently living with diabetes, as Alberta expands it’s Insulin Pump Therapy Program to include the new tubeless insulin pump, the Omnipod 5.
The new cutting edge insulin pump uses data from a continuous glucose monitor to ensure safe and healthy blood sugar.
Eligible Albertans can receive an insulin pumps every five years, and access to the new pump will follow the current replacement cycle, meaning Albertans will upgrade to the new device over time, instead of all at once. Anyone already using an Omnipod system can be potentially upgraded sooner via the manufacturers Omnipod Innovation Pathway program.
An estimated 1.3 million Albertans are living with diabetes or pre-diabetes. This number is projected to rise to approximately 1.68 million by 2034.
According to Diabetes Canada, Indigenous Albertans face a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, with rates significantly higher – nearly 15% among First Nations, compared to roughly 7% for non First Nations.
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