Type 1 Diabetes in a Changing World: Global Burden, System Gaps, and Innovations for Equitable Care | Recording-Type 1 Diabetes in a Changing World: Global Burden, System Gaps, and Innovations for Equitable Care

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The ADA Public Health and Epidemiology Interest Group webinar focused on the challenges and advancements in type 1 diabetes (T1D) care globally, with emphasis on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and regions like Latin America. Benedetta Armosina highlighted the importance of universal health coverage (UHC) for T1D care, stressing equity, access to quality services, and financial protection within health systems. She noted current gaps in diagnosis, supply chains, affordability, and continuity of care in LMICs, advocating for strengthening health systems using the WHO building blocks framework.<br /><br />David Baran detailed the complex insulin supply pathway—from global manufacturing concentrated among three major companies to pricing, regulatory approval, procurement, and distribution challenges. He underscored large price disparities, affordability issues, frequent stockouts, and new shortages even in high-income countries. He emphasized improving regulatory capacity to facilitate access to quality biosimilar insulins as a key opportunity.<br /><br />Jaakko Tuomilehto reviewed global T1D incidence trends, showing a widespread increase, particularly among young children, with significant geographical variability influenced by genetic and environmental factors. He stressed that improved survival and reproduction of individuals with T1D may partly explain rising incidence.<br /><br />Paola Diaz examined T1D surveillance gaps and health inequities in Latin America, highlighting scarce data, misclassification issues using ICD codes, centralized specialty care, and structural inequities by insurance, socioeconomic status, and geography. She called for regional collaboration to improve data collection, equitable access to insulin and technologies, and stronger health system investments.<br /><br />Sarah Wild discussed modeling the global burden of T1D, the limitations of data availability especially in many countries, and variations in model estimates. She emphasized the urgent need for better data to inform health service planning and ensuring equitable access to insulin and monitoring.<br /><br />Overall, the webinar underscored the critical need for improved surveillance, equitable health system strengthening, affordable insulin access, and collaborative efforts to address T1D care inequities worldwide.

Keywords

Type 1 diabetes

T1D care

low- and middle-income countries

LMICs

universal health coverage

UHC

health system strengthening

insulin supply chain

biosimilar insulin

global T1D incidence

health inequities

Latin America

data surveillance

equitable access