Savvy Updates 10/26/26

Oct 26, 2026 | Diabetes Business, Featured, Research News, Stories of D Life, T1D and Aging, Technology Updates, Videos | 0 comments

WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE

        • FREE Webinar:T1D and ADMITTED to the HOSPITAL with Dr. Irl Hirsch, 10/28/26
        • EASD 2026: New Pumps, Less Bolusing and Sensors Beyond Glucose
        • Whose Data Is It Anyway? Dexcom, Abbott and CGM Data Rights
        • New Survey Explores Diabetes-Related Nerve Damage and Treatments
        • CGM Data Could Reveal More Than Glucose Levels?
        • Late-Night Eating, Fatty Liver Disease and Cirrhosis
        • Patch Pump Purgatory: The Mechanics of a Patch Pump on Skin
        • The Four Pillars of Kidney Protection in Diabetes
        • Sleep Dysfunction, Not Duration, Linked to Liver Disease
        • Heart & Kidney Care Alliance: A Global Advocate Supergroup
        • AI Model Maps Complication Risk in Type 1 Diabetes
        • Gluten Intolerance or Celiac? DID YOU KNOW
        • Eledon’s Long-Term BESTOW Study Results
        • Congressional Diabetes Caucus Leadership Changes
        • Could Climate Change and Air Pollution Affect Blood Sugar?

NEWS FROM T1DTO100

        • T1Dto100 Very Limited-Edition, First/Only Run design shirts are AVAILABLE!
        • Heart and Kidney Health May Play a Role in Dementia Risk in Older Adults With T1D
        • Cognitive Decline in Long-Duration T1D: Findings From the Joslin Medalists
        • “The Party” by Brad S.of Diabetes Hero Squad

FROM OUR READERS & A Personal Note of Thanks …

        • Thank you, EVERYONE, for your loving and kind comments and offers of support and help.  I spent 4 unplanned days in hospital, learned even more tips and issues which I’ll be sharing over the next week.  Planning is the biggest hint … and while I thought I was prepared, I learned what I was missing.  Sending out hugs and gratitude!  💖🤗💞
        • Reader Comments 
T1Dto100 Fall Webinar Series: T1D and ADMITTED to the HOSPITAL … What you need to know!
with Dr. Irl Hirsch, Professor of Medicine, University of Washington … and living with T1D.May be a graphic of hospital and text
Free on Zoom: Click Here to REGISTER

Can’t make it live?  Register and we’ll send the recording or you can find it on our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@T1Dto100

 

 

 

EASD 2026 Technology Update: Less Bolusing, New Pumps and Sensors Beyond Glucose published by Diabetotech.com), 11 October 2026

More than 16,000 participants attended EASD 2026, where diabetes technology developments included smaller pumps, algorithms that make meal boluses optional, sensors measuring glucose and ketones together, and even a wearable lactate monitor. Among the ten highlights:

          • MiniMed Flex: A European rollout is planned, with smartphone control and future algorithm updates.
          • Vivera: MiniMed’s investigational algorithm allows meal announcements to be optional. In a small feasibility study of 24 adults with T1D, time in range was 82.3% with full meal announcements and 73.8% without announcements.
          • CamAPS Liberty: An interim analysis of 597 users found that median time in range declined from 70.8% to 65.8%, while meal boluses decreased from approximately 3.9 to 1.5 per day. The results illustrate the trade-off between less daily work and glucose outcomes.
          • Inreda AP5: This dual-hormone system delivers insulin and glucagon without requiring meal announcements. A 12-month study found improved time in range compared with injections plus CGM, but no statistically significant advantage over hybrid closed-loop therapy. Many participants discontinued the system.
          • Libre Duo: Abbott’s combined glucose-and-ketone sensor has received CE marking. Continuous ketone monitoring could provide earlier information about developing problems, but interpreting temporary ketone elevations will require careful education.

Other developments include integrated pump-and-sensor systems, new CGMs and experimental continuous lactate monitoring.

SAVVY NOTE: I love seeing technology designed to reduce the workload of living with T1D. But the actual outcomes matter. Less bolusing sounds wonderful, yet we need to understand the effects on time in range, hypoglycemia, reliability and quality of life. This article does an excellent job of presenting both the excitement and the trade-offs.

READ MORE: EASD 2026 Technology Update: Less Bolusing, New Pumps and Sensors Beyond Glucose

Whose Data Is It Anyway? by Tim Street for Diabettech.com), 23 October 2026

In October, Dexcom users in the United States began seeing app prompts asking them to accept updated terms of use or uninstall the app. Some UK users reported similar prompts. Abbott Libre users also encountered updated agreements. Tim Street examines what these terms say about ownership, access and permitted use of CGM data. Street emphasizes that some online claims have overstated or confused the legal implications, while significant questions about user rights and access remain unresolved.

          • Dexcom: Its app terms dated November 2025 describe sensor readings as “Dexcom Data” and assert company ownership. They also place restrictions on certain research, AI, product-development and publication uses without written permission.
          • Abbott: Its August 2026 Libre agreement does not claim ownership of data users transmit to LibreView, but includes a license permitting certain uses of uploaded information, including AI model training.
          • Arbitration: Dexcom’s US terms generally require individual arbitration for disputes, subject to exceptions and a 30-day opt-out process.

Practical takeaway: Save copies of agreements you are asked to accept. Be aware of applicable opt-out deadlines, and don’t uninstall a CGM app without another reliable way to receive readings and alarms.

SAVVY NOTE: THIS is important! Our CGM data represents our lives, our health and our daily decisions. Questions about who controls that information — and whether it can be used for independent research, open-source development or product evaluation — deserve transparency and serious discussion.

READ MORE: Whose Data Is It Anyway?

New Survey Explores Diabetes-Related Nerve Damage and Treatments by Anna Brooks for diaTribe.org, 12 October 2026

Johns Hopkins University is conducting a research study about awareness of diabetes-related nerve damage, nerve compression and lower extremity nerve decompression (LEND).  Researchers are surveying adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, as well as healthcare professionals, to identify differences in knowledge and awareness of this potential treatment approach. The study asks whether people experiencing burning, tingling, numbness or pain in their feet and legs know that nerve compression may contribute to symptoms, and whether they have heard about LEND.

The purpose: Researchers hope the responses will identify gaps in education and awareness. This is an open survey, not a clinical trial demonstrating that nerve decompression is effective.

SAVVY NOTE: Neuropathy is a major concern in our aging T1D community. I’m glad to see research exploring what patients know about treatment options and whether clinicians are discussing them. Understanding the evidence for any intervention is essential.

READ MORE: New Survey Explores Diabetes-Related Nerve Damage and Treatments

TAKE THE SURVEY: https://redcap.link/6tfekhr7

DID YOU KNOW… CGM Data Could Reveal More Than Glucose Levels? for DiabetesCenterBerne.ch, 21 October 2026

Continuous glucose monitoring provides glucose readings, trends and alerts that help people with diabetes make treatment decisions. But researchers are exploring whether the enormous amount of information collected by CGM could reveal patterns associated with other aspects of health.  A study published in npj Digital Medicine suggests that analyzing glucose patterns beyond individual readings may help identify different diabetes-related risk profiles.  The findings raise the possibility that future CGM analysis could support more personalized care and risk assessment.

The important distinction: This is a developing research application. It does not mean that today’s CGM systems can diagnose complications or accurately predict an individual’s future health.

SAVVY NOTE: Just think about the enormous amount of CGM data many of us have accumulated over the years! It would be wonderful if researchers could use those patterns to better understand our health beyond glucose management alone.

SOURCE: Diabetes Center Berne, 21 October 2026. 

Late-Night Eating Is Associated With MASLD and Cirrhosis by Robert M. Wilechansky and colleagues for Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (https://www.cghjournal.org), 10 October 2026

Researchers examined the relationship between late-night eating and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and cirrhosis, using data from the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.  The research suggests that when we eat may matter for liver health, in addition to what and how much we eat. Late-night eating was associated with MASLD and cirrhosis. Because this was observational research, the association does not establish that late-night eating causes liver disease. The findings raise questions about meal timing, circadian rhythms, and metabolic health that warrant further investigation.

SAVVY NOTE: We spend so much time discussing what we eat and how it affects glucose levels. Now researchers are increasingly interested in WHEN we eat and its relationship to other aspects of health. Another fascinating piece of the metabolic puzzle.

READ MORE: Late-Night Eating Is Associated With MASLD and Cirrhosis

Patch Pump Purgatory: The Mechanics of a Patch Pump on Skin by Tim Street for Diabettech.com, 12 October 2026

Patch pumps eliminate tubing, but their rigid housing introduces mechanical challenges of its own.  A rigid shell sits on soft, moving skin, with the cannula fixed at one point. As the shell tilts during everyday activity, the cannula may move within the tissue.  Tim Street’s mechanical model suggests that ordinary pressure can lift the cannula hub by approximately 0.75–1.5 mm and rotate it by 3–4 degrees. Repeated movement could widen the tissue tract and contribute to insulin leaking back toward the skin, known as tunneling.  Cannula placement and adhesive design may affect how much movement occurs. A cannula positioned closer to the middle of the pump could move less than one near the edge.

The important conclusion: These are mechanical predictions, not findings directly measured in patch pumps. Street proposes bench testing to determine whether the models explain real-world infusion problems.

SAVVY NOTE: This is a fascinating explanation of something many pump users have experienced. We pay so much attention to algorithms and glucose sensors, but the mechanics of delivering insulin reliably into the body are equally important.

READ MORE: The Mechanics of a Patch Pump on Skin

The Four Pillars of Kidney Protection in Diabetes by Drs. Steven Edelman and Jeremy Pettus for TCOYD.org, 22 October 2026

Drs. Steven Edelman and Jeremy Pettus explain how UACR (urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio) and eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) are used to assess kidney health.  They review the four treatment pillars for chronic kidney disease in type 2 diabetes and discuss finerenone, including the FINE-ONE study investigating its use in type 1 diabetes.  The presentation also covers medication dosing, potassium monitoring and the importance of connecting screening results with treatment and follow-up.

SAVVY NOTE: Kidney protection is such an important subject for people aging with T1D. I especially appreciate Steve and Jeremy’s attention to what is established for type 2 diabetes versus what is still being studied for type 1.

Sleep Dysfunction, Not Duration, Linked to Liver Disease by Nancy A. Melville for Medscape.com, 12 October 2026

Two studies presented at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 2026 Annual Scientific Meeting add to evidence connecting sleep problems with liver disease. Bright Nwatamole, MBBS, lead author of the first study, observed that existing MASLD guidelines do not routinely call for sleep-quality screening.

        • One study found that poor sleep quality, rather than simply the number of hours slept, was associated with increased risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
        • A second study linked obstructive sleep apnea with higher risks of MASLD, cirrhosis and mortality.

The findings suggest that evaluating sleep dysfunction may be an important consideration in understanding liver disease risk. They do not establish that treating sleep problems prevents liver disease.

SAVVY NOTE: Another reminder that getting enough hours of sleep isn’t necessarily the same as getting restorative sleep. The connections among sleep, metabolic health and chronic disease deserve more attention.

READ MORE: Sleep Dysfunction, Not Duration, Linked to Liver Disease

Heart & Kidney Care Alliance: A Global Advocate Supergroup by Andrew Saintsing for diaTribe.org), 6 October 2026

The Heart & Kidney Care Alliance is a new patient-driven initiative bringing together advocates for people living with diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease. The Alliance aims to share personal experiences, build global and local communities, and connect people with information and resources from leading patient advocacy organizations.  

Its work emphasizes the interconnected nature of cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic conditions, sometimes described together as cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome.  Rather than treating these conditions as entirely separate problems, the Alliance seeks to make education and advocacy more coordinated and accessible.

SAVVY NOTE: This makes so much sense! Heart and kidney health are critically important as we age with diabetes. I especially appreciate the effort to bring patient voices and advocacy organizations together rather than keeping everyone in separate silos.

READ MORE: Heart & Kidney Care Alliance: A Global Advocate Supergroup

AI Model Maps Complication Risk in Type 1 Diabetes by Véronique Duqueroy for Medscape.com), 13 October 2026

Researchers in Luxembourg and France are developing a clinical decision-support tool using artificial intelligence and digital twins to identify complication-risk profiles among people with type 1 diabetes.  The team analyzed data from 2,187 participants in the SFDT1 cohort, identifying seven clinical phenotypes representing different patterns of disease and complication risk.  Principal investigator Guy Fagherazzi, PhD, explained that the first model, presented at EASD 2026, was designed to describe patient profiles and assess complication risks.  The long-term goal is to complement conventional risk scores with personalized predictions that could guide prevention, treatment and diabetes education.

The conclusion: This is an early research model demonstrating a possible approach to personalized risk assessment. Further validation is necessary before it can guide routine clinical decisions.

SAVVY NOTE: One of the great mysteries of long-duration T1D is why people with seemingly similar histories can have very different experiences with complications. Research that helps us better understand those differences is especially exciting.

READ MORE: AI Model Maps Complication Risk in Type 1 Diabetes

Gluten Intolerance or Celiac? DID YOU KNOW by Ginger Vieira for DiabetesNerd.com, 22 October 2026

Ginger Vieira raises a surprising question in a short video: could everyday products such as paper straws or envelope glue contain gluten?  For people with celiac disease, identifying unexpected sources of gluten can be important.

SAVVY NOTE: A little DID YOU KNOW item! Since celiac disease is more common among people with T1D, it’s always useful to learn where gluten might be hiding. Product ingredients vary, so it’s worth checking specific products rather than assuming every paper straw or envelope contains gluten.

 

Eledon Presents Updated Long-Term Phase 2 BESTOW Extension Study Results by Eledon.com, 22 September 2026

Eledon Pharmaceuticals announced updated long-term findings from its Phase 2 BESTOW program evaluating tegoprubart, an investigational immunosuppressive therapy in kidney transplantation. The extension results, presented at the International Congress of The Transplantation Society in Sydney, showed continued improvements in kidney function and a favorable safety profile compared with standard-of-care tacrolimus, according to the company.  Eledon also announced that the FDA had granted Fast Track designation to tegoprubart for prevention of kidney-transplant rejection.  The company plans to advance its Phase 3 LEGACY study.

The important distinction: These findings concern kidney transplantation and immunosuppression. They do not establish the effectiveness of tegoprubart in islet-cell transplantation or as a treatment for type 1 diabetes.

SAVVY NOTE: Tegoprubart is a name worth following, particularly as researchers explore alternatives to traditional immunosuppression. Kidney transplantation and islet transplantation are different applications, but advances in immune therapies may have important implications for future research.

READ MORE: Eledon Presents Updated Long-Term Phase 2 BESTOW Extension Study Results

Congressional Diabetes Caucus Leadership Changes announced by BreakthroughT1D.org, 21 September 2026

Congresswoman Kim Schrier (D-WA) has been named the next Co-chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, succeeding Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO), who has served in the role since 1999. Breakthrough T1D recognized DeGette’s longstanding contributions to diabetes research, access and legislation, including the Special Diabetes Program, the 21st Century Cures Act and the INSULIN Act. Schrier is a pediatrician and a member of Congress living with type 1 diabetes. Breakthrough T1D welcomed her leadership and expressed its commitment to continuing the Caucus’s work to advance cures and improve the lives of people affected by T1D.

SAVVY NOTE: Congressional support has been essential to so many advances in diabetes research and care. I appreciate Diana DeGette’s years of commitment and look forward to seeing what Kim Schrier brings to this important role, particularly her firsthand experience living with T1D.

READ MORE: Congressional Diabetes Caucus Leadership Changes

Could Climate Change and Air Pollution Affect Blood Sugar? by Anna Brooks for diaTribe.org, 23 October 2026

Air pollution has been associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but its relationship with glucose levels is less well understood. European researchers examined data from more than 21,000 people without diabetes, finding associations between air pollution, temperature changes and differences in A1C.  Computer modeling suggested that improvements in air quality could lower average glucose levels, while climate-related temperature changes might increase them.

The conclusion: Environmental exposures may influence metabolic health, but these findings do not establish that changing air quality will produce the predicted glucose effects in an individual, particularly someone with established T1D.

SAVVY NOTE: We already know that heat, illness, activity and countless other factors can affect glucose levels. It’s interesting to see researchers investigating environmental influences on a much larger scale.

READ MORE: Could Climate Change and Air Pollution Affect Blood Sugar?

NEWS FROM T1DTO100

T1Dto100 Very Limited-Edition, First/Only Run design shirts are AVAILABLE!

 
 
 
 
 
Photo of V-Neck
 
 
 
 
 
Our new T1Dto100 shirts are here, and they are fabulous!!! 👚
 
They’re a fun way to show your support and start conversations about what it’s really like to grow older with type 1 diabetes.
There are two ways to get yours:
        • Make a gift of $100 or more and you’ll have the option to receive a shirt as our thank you.
        • Purchase a shirt for $37.50 plus shipping and handling.

Every gift and every shirt helps us keep doing this work: creating care guides and emergency resources, sharing practical information for adults aging with T1D and the people who care for them, hosting webinars with experts, building this wonderful community, and advocating for better care and technology for older adults.  They are fun, bold, and so original. This is a very limited-edition, first-edition design. Get yours before we run out. We ship to your door, usually within two weeks.

Thank you for being part of this community. Wear it proudly and show the world that we are still here! 💖 💖 💖

Heart and Kidney Health May Play a Role in Dementia Risk in Older Adults With Type 1 Diabetes, EASD Research Update

People living with type 1 diabetes have an increased risk of dementia later in life, but researchers are investigating why some individuals maintain good cognitive health after many decades with T1D.

A study in Sweden compared 82 middle-aged or older adults with long-duration T1D who had not developed major heart or kidney complications with 155 people without diabetes.  Overall, the participants with T1D performed similarly on tests of memory and cognitive function, although there were differences on some individual tests.

The conclusion: The findings suggest that long-duration T1D does not inevitably lead to cognitive impairment. The researchers raise the possibility that cardiovascular and kidney health may help explain differences in cognitive outcomes, although the study does not establish a protective causal relationship.

T1DTO100 NOTE: This is encouraging research for our community. We know that aging with T1D can bring additional risks, but these findings remind us that cognitive decline is not inevitable. Protecting our hearts, kidneys and overall health may be important parts of protecting our brains as well.

SOURCE: EASD 2026 research update. 

Characterization of Cognitive Decline in Long-Duration Type 1 Diabetes by Cognitive, Neuroimaging, and Pathological Examinations, by George L. King and colleagues for JCI Insight (https://insight.jci.org), 30 January 2025

Researchers studying long-duration type 1 diabetes examined cognitive function, brain imaging and pathological findings to better understand cognitive decline in older adults who have lived with T1D for many decades. The study, involving the Joslin Medalist population, investigated factors associated with cognitive changes in this understudied group.

The researchers reported that cognitive decline was more closely related to changes in brain tissue itself (parenchymal abnormalities) than to neurovascular abnormalities, differing from patterns described in type 2 diabetes.  They suggested that these findings may reflect aspects of accelerated aging in long-duration T1D.  The authors also raised the possibility that improving visual acuity could be an important area to investigate for preventing cognitive decline.

T1DTO100 NOTE: This research is especially meaningful for those of us who have lived with T1D for 50, 60 or more years. We need much more research focused specifically on our aging population, rather than assuming that findings in type 2 diabetes apply equally to us. Understanding cognitive health — and what we can do to protect it — is one of T1Dto100’s important priorities.

READ MORE: Cognitive Decline in Long-Duration Type 1 Diabetes

Posted on Facebook T1Dto100 by Brad Slaight, T1D, actor, comedian and a great long-time member of the diabetes on-line community.  I just love this post:
Age is all relative with diabetes. I wrote this story a few years ago about meeting parents of a child with T1D, but it so resonates today.
*****************************
“The Party” by Brad S.
I’m always interested in meeting another person with diabetes and after the secret handshake I enjoy listening to their story, their struggles, and their methods of control. Even with strangers, it is always an immediate bonding because we are conjoined by a common life threatening, daily maintaining condition that cuts through the awkward veil of trust.
 
But tonight, it was different. I went to a party at a beautiful home in the Pacific Palisades. An upscale community near the ocean with homes that in the Midwest would be expensive, but here in Los Angeles you have to be in the top 1% to own. This party was catered, valeted, and lavish.
 
I never feel out of place at these kinds of things even though my socio-economic status is not quite on the same level with the majority of the other guests. But since I am in the entertainment business I usually fit right in and can charm my way past any portfolio flaws. Money and power do not always mean personality.
 
I’m pretty gregarious and make friends easily and tonight was no different. Flitting around from one group to another I came upon a stunning couple who looked like they just stepped from the pages of Forbes Magazine. Well groomed. Fashionable. Rich.
 
I planned on walking right past them because I saw nothing in common. And then, the woman grabbed my arm.
“You’re Brad, right?” She asked. A wave of paranoia came over me. What had I done? How did she know me? What did she want? I made some lame joke about not being Brad Pitt and she forced a laugh but I could see some unexpected pain in her eyes.
 
“I don’t mean to be forward,” she continued. (Forward? Who fucking talks like that, I thought to myself) “Shannon told me you have diabetes.”
 
Oh my God, I’ve been outed. As if I really care. But why was she asking me this? I would have preferred that she said something like, “You’re a comedian, right?” or “I recognize you from TV” or anything else that would be complimentary. I don’t mind people knowing I have diabetes, but it’s not really what I want to be known for?
 
The next thing that happened completely took me by surprise. She told me that their 7-year-old son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes two weeks ago. This was the first time they had been out of the house at night since then. And they had to force themselves to come to the party even though they wanted to stay home and hover. Immediately they were one of us. Diabetes – the great unifier! They were in the club. I understood their pain and at that moment I also felt it because it hit me in the gut. Seven? Fuck. I was fortunate enough to get it when I was a young adult. Seven!
 
We talked for the next hour and a half. The rest of the party became an oblivious blur. They listened to me as if I were Yoda as I told them my story and stories of others who I have known from the D.O.C. They hungered for knowledge about diabetes. Where do they go? What do they do? Why did it happen to their precious boy? When will it be cured? How will he deal with this horrible disease? The same questions we all have had, and many that we still do.
 
I told them about the usual links and sites they should explore, but what they really wanted to hear most was how I’ve survived for 35+ years with diabetes. What do I do? How do I manage? Have I gotten any of the terrible complications they’ve been told about?
 
And it was then that I realized how important all of the diabetes online community has been for me. How important it is to not feel so alone. So isolated. And how terrifying this disease is for those who are newly diagnosed and the people who love them, because it changes their life as well. I told them what I could but made sure to remind them that, even though we all share the same disease, we are all different and finding a good endo is key. Most of all I told them how important it is that they were scared because that means their boy has great parents who will make sure he gets the best care possible. The fear will lead to knowledge, which will lead to the best kind of advocacy of all. And I told them that they need to seek out other parents who have CWD because they too need to understand they do not have to face this all by themselves.
 
Next week I am going to have dinner at their house and meet their little boy. I won’t tell him about all the technical stuff. In time, he will learn all that for himself, because he will have to. No, what I will talk to him about is that there are many of us. He is not alone. And I will give him an autographed picture of The Diabetes Hero Squad. I will tell him that he is a diabetes superhero. And I will make sure I don’t cry until after I leave.
 
I went to a party. I found out about another one of us. He’s seven.
We need to find a cure!

FROM OUR READERS

I received some lovely messages from readers following last week’s hospitalization.  Thank you … I’m on the mend and resting up.  💕

Kathy Hanavan: “I hope your hospital stay is short and that you will be ok soon! Thank you for attending to this wonderful newsletter despite your hospitalization.”

Richard H: “My sentiments also. Hope you are well and return home soon.”

Colleen Skinner: “Feel Better!”

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