The Cure- Part 2
A while back I wrote about my thoughts on a cure.
Tonight's ozdoc chat on twitter focused on our thoughts on a cure, and what it would mean.
Some really big issues came up, and one really stood out for me. If we did have a cure, who gets priority?
It looks deceptively simple. I know my first thought was children. Babies who can't tell when they're running high or low. Little kids who are terrified of needles. Parents who never sleep the night through.
But then that got me thinking, how can I compare individual's experiences of living with this? What makes the 4 year old with t1 more deserving of a cure than the hypo unaware 25 year old living alone, not leaving their house because they're afraid of going low? What about the pregnant woman who has to keep her levels stable for the sake of her child? What about the teenager who is isolating themselves because they're ashamed of their condition and just want it to go away?
What about me, a 20 year old uni student who can't turn off her diabetes brain?
How can we make that kind of decision? How can we put one life above another, when we're all in this diabetes boat together?
Don't get me wrong, instinctively I absolutely think kids, pregnant women and the hypo unaware should go first. I have a better shot at lasting through it than they do.
But should a cure become a reality, who exactly makes that call?
Is it a politician catering to the majority of their potential voters for the next election?
Is it an insulin company looking for the quickest sale?
Then you come to the dilemma of price. Will t1 become a poor man's disease? If a cure is available that's fantastic, but there's only so much you can sell for it. So do we give it to lower socioeconomic families first?
I don't know. I don't know how anyone can make that call. Everyone within the online community works hard for advocacy, improved technology and maybe even a cure. But what happens when it's available? Do we still retain that solidarity, or does our hatred of the illness mean we all want first dibs?
I have no answers, just lots of questions.
Tonight's ozdoc chat on twitter focused on our thoughts on a cure, and what it would mean.
Some really big issues came up, and one really stood out for me. If we did have a cure, who gets priority?
It looks deceptively simple. I know my first thought was children. Babies who can't tell when they're running high or low. Little kids who are terrified of needles. Parents who never sleep the night through.
But then that got me thinking, how can I compare individual's experiences of living with this? What makes the 4 year old with t1 more deserving of a cure than the hypo unaware 25 year old living alone, not leaving their house because they're afraid of going low? What about the pregnant woman who has to keep her levels stable for the sake of her child? What about the teenager who is isolating themselves because they're ashamed of their condition and just want it to go away?
What about me, a 20 year old uni student who can't turn off her diabetes brain?
How can we make that kind of decision? How can we put one life above another, when we're all in this diabetes boat together?
Don't get me wrong, instinctively I absolutely think kids, pregnant women and the hypo unaware should go first. I have a better shot at lasting through it than they do.
But should a cure become a reality, who exactly makes that call?
Is it a politician catering to the majority of their potential voters for the next election?
Is it an insulin company looking for the quickest sale?
Then you come to the dilemma of price. Will t1 become a poor man's disease? If a cure is available that's fantastic, but there's only so much you can sell for it. So do we give it to lower socioeconomic families first?
I don't know. I don't know how anyone can make that call. Everyone within the online community works hard for advocacy, improved technology and maybe even a cure. But what happens when it's available? Do we still retain that solidarity, or does our hatred of the illness mean we all want first dibs?
I have no answers, just lots of questions.
No easy answer to that one. For me I would want people who are at high risk of diabetes complications or hypo unaware to get the cure first. So hard though, because Id be wanting it so bad!
ReplyDeleteExactly my thoughts!
DeleteWhat about those of us who are of a certain age? Sorry, you're practically dead anyway and have outlived your usefulness. Is that what you believe? My doctors seem to, but I disagree.
ReplyDeleteThankfully, not everyone feels that way. I am currently taking part in a clinical trial that may result in a cure. The experience has triggered some questions:
1. What if this works? Having LADA for 12 years, I've gotten used to my pancreas producing random amounts of insulin at random times. If this stuff works, it won't be like waving a magic wand and poof! I'm normal.
2. How long will it last? Even if it looked like I'd been cured, I still would cling to my meter and CGM, just in case.
Hi Mary,
DeleteNo, I don't believe that at all and I apologise if what I've written led you to think I did. I actually happen to think the opposite and am surprised that any health care professional would approach it the way
Very true, especially your second point. I think I'd have a hard time letting go of the glucose checking too. Trusting that the cure is actually a cure would be very difficult. Best wishes for your trial