Ground-breaking technology and an artificial pancreas developed by world-renowned Yale Professor,
William Tamborlane, is set to change the lives of thousands of Tasmanians living with type 1 diabetes.

Professor Tamborlane was welcomed to Hobart today by Diabetes Tasmania to address a community forum
about his role in developing new insulin pump technology, which also includes mobile notification
technology and disease management.

“I believe Australia is ahead of the game compared to other countries and Tasmanians will now have
access to the benefits that an artificial pancreas can offer, such as preventing and detecting dangerous
hypoglycaemia,” Professor Tamborlane said.

“Only 10 per cent of Australians with type 1 diabetes use a pump and the next stage, glucose monitoring, is
not currently subsidised in Australia.

“It’s hard to stress how important this monitoring is in relation to managing type 1 diabetes, as poor control
can lead to serious complications, including blindness, kidney failure and amputations.”

Seventeen year-old Carissa Lilley from Hobart is one of the lucky ones already benefiting from Professor
Tamborlane’s research, using the insulin pump, which forms the first half of the artificial pancreas treatment.
“I and many other Tasmanians with type 1 diabetes can now access a new treatment method that will
replicate the function of a normal pancreas, eliminating the need for multiple daily injections and blood sugar
testing,” Ms Lilley said.

“It’s a great breakthrough and certainly makes the disease a lot easier to manage, but each day is still
focussed on maintaining a safe and healthy lifestyle to reduce the risks I and many others face living with
type 1 diabetes.”

Even with an insulin pump, each person living with type 1 diabetes needs to calculate the balance of food
intake and insulin delivery – a function that is automatic in people without diabetes.

“It has been so valuable to hear about the new research and development plans to improve insulin pump
therapy,” Ms Lilley said.

“As an athlete playing soccer for Clarence United in the women’s premier league, my lifestyle has been
made easier thanks to Professor Tamborlane’s research and insulin pump.”

Professor Tamborlane and his team are now developing continuous glucose monitoring – the second half of
the equation for the artificial pancreas.
Carmen Jenkinson, Diabetes Tasmania