World Diabetes Day 2026 : Diabetes News : First UK patient given groundbreaking diabetes drug

~ November 14th is World Diabetes Day ~

Diabetes can impact people across all life stages, including childhood, the reproductive years, working age and older adulthood.

The theme of this year’s WHO World Diabetes Day, is "Early action on diabetes” which recognises that diabetes is one of the world’s fastest-growing health challenges. By 2050 the number of people living with diabetes is projected to reach 853 million. Urgent action is needed to increase early detection, provide uninterrupted care and support diabetes risk reduction. Early action on diabetes will save lives, improve health and reduce long-term costs to health systems.

World Diabetes Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness and knowledge about diabetes as a critical global public health issue, and to create lasting change for all affected by diabetes.
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"First UK patient given groundbreaking diabetes drug

Annette Quilter received a dose of Teplizumab at a Hospital in Birmingham on the NHS

A patient has become the first in the UK to receive a pioneering drug designed to delay the onset of Type 1 diabetes.

Annette Quilter, from Shropshire, received the first NHS dose of Teplizumab at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB) this week.

The treatment can delay the progression of early-stage Type 1 diabetes, potentially giving patients more time before they need to start taking insulin.

The 42-year-old, who was diagnosed with Stage 2 Type 1 diabetes in the summer, was identified as eligible following screening and assessment.

A GP and mother of three, she said the diagnosis had come as a shock.

"Luckily, it was picked up early enough for this new treatment to be an option for me, the team here have worked really hard to make it happen quickly," she said.

"To have a little bit of breathing space before I need to start insulin, and time to prepare for that, means a great deal."

Type 1 diabetes is caused when the body's own immune system starts attacking the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

It is different from the type 2 form of the disease, which is often - but not always - associated with being overweight.

People with type 1 diabetes must monitor their blood glucose levels and administer insulin, either through injections or a pump, to replace the hormone their bodies can no longer produce enough of.

Teplizumab works by slowing the immune system's destruction of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

Research trials have shown it can halve the rate at which patients progress to requiring insulin.

The treatment involves one infusion a day for 14 consecutive days, with each taking about 30 minutes, followed by a period of observation.

It has been available through the NHS since June 2026 for eligible children aged over eight and adults with Stage 2 Type 1 diabetes.

'Valuable additional time'

The University of Birmingham team involved in the research described it as the milestone that followed years of research into early detection and treatment.

Dr Danijela Tatovic said: "For the first time, we have a treatment that can delay progression to insulin-requiring Type 1 Diabetes, offering patients and their families valuable additional time before the condition develops further."

Matthew Metcalfe, hospital executive director at QEHB, said Birmingham had been at the forefront of diabetes research for many years and praised the collaboration between clinicians, researchers and NHS organisations.

"We are incredibly proud to have treated the first patient in the UK with Teplizumab at QEHB and to now be able to offer this pioneering treatment to eligible patients.""

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More About Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes can develop at any age and requires insulin treatment for survival.

Type 2 Diabetes accounts for around 90% of all diabetes and is more commonly diagnosed in adults.

Gestational Diabetes occurs with high blood glucose during pregnancy and can cause complications for both mother and child.

While type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes are the most common forms of diabetes diagnosis, other types of diabetes are just as important.

About 1.5-2% of people live with rare forms of diabetes, which can be grouped into nine categories. Although less common, these types of diabetes still pose a significant health threat. By understanding them, we can better support those affected by this condition.
You can read more about diabetes including these other forms of diabetes using these links here and here

Please note, articles and any comments within this blog are provided for general information only and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor, pharmacist or any other health care professional.

All the best Jan