Health

Could Insulin Pills Prevent Diabetes? Big Study Seeks Answer

Published

9 years ago

July 3, 2015

This photo taken Wednesday, May 13, 2015, shows insulin pills taken by Hayden Murphy, 13, who is participating in a study in Plainfield, Ill. to try to prevent or at least delay Type 1 diabetes. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — For nearly a century, insulin has been a life-saving diabetes treatment. Now scientists are testing a tantalizing question: What if pills containing the same medicine patients inject every day could also prevent the disease?

Thirteen-year-old Hayden Murphy of Plainfield, Illinois, is helping researchers determine if the strategy works for Type 1 diabetes, the kind that is usually diagnosed in childhood. If it does, he might be able to avoid the lifetime burdens facing his 5-year-old brother, Weston. They includes countless finger pricks and blood sugar checks, and avoiding playing too hard or eating too little, which both can cause dangerous blood sugar fluctuations.

Hayden Murphy is among more than 400 children and adults participating in U.S. government-funded international research investigating whether experimental insulin capsules can prevent or at least delay Type 1 diabetes. Hospitals in the United States and eight other countries are involved and recruitment is ongoing. To enroll, participants must first get bad news: results of a blood test showing their chances for developing the disease are high.

“When I got the news, I was devastated,” Hayden said. He knows it means his life could change in an instant.

“He has the daily reminders. He sees what his brother goes through,” said the boys’ mom, Myra Murphy.

So now Hayden Murphy swallows a small white capsule daily and has his blood checked periodically for signs of diabetes.

“I hope it doesn’t come to me, and I really didn’t want it to come to him,” Hayden said.

A small, preliminary study by different researchers, published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggests the approach might work. Children who took insulin pills showed immune system changes that the researchers said might help prevent diabetes. The study was too small and didn’t last long enough to know for sure.

The ongoing larger study is more rigorous, randomly assigning participants to get experimental insulin capsules or dummy pills, and should provide a clearer answer.

“Does it prevent indefinitely? Does it slow it down, does it delay diabetes? That also would be a pretty big win,” said Dr. Louis Philipson, a University of Chicago diabetes specialist involved in the study.

About 1.25 million Americans have Type 1 diabetes. Type 2 disease is more common, affecting nearly 30 million nationwide and most of the more than 300 million worldwide with diabetes. Besides short-term complications from poorly controlled blood sugar, both types raise long-term risks for damage to the kidneys, heart and eyes.

Both types are increasing and for Type 2, experts think that’s because of rising obesity and inactivity. But the upward trend in Type 1 diabetes, increasing worldwide by at least 3 percent each year, is more perplexing.

“We know so very little about the exact mechanisms that cause Type 1 diabetes,” which complicates efforts to prevent it, said Dr. Desmond Schatz, the study’s chair and medical director of the University of Florida Diabetes Center.

“For the most part, it’s really shooting an arrow into a field and hoping one of the arrows hits a target,” Schatz said.

In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas stops making insulin, a blood sugar-regulating hormone that helps the body convert sugar in food into energy. Treatment is lifetime replacement insulin, usually via injections or a small pump. In Type 2, the body can’t make proper use of insulin. It can sometimes be treated with a healthy diet and exercise.

Genes are thought to increase risks for Type 1 diabetes. Viruses and other infections are among factors suggested as possible triggers the disease, which causes the body’s immune system to attack insulin-producing cells.

Dr. Wendy Brickman, a diabetes specialist at Chicago’s Lurie Children’s Hospital who’s involved in the study, explained that researchers think taking insulin by mouth so that it’s digested like food might somehow trick the faulty immune system into not attacking insulin-making cells.

Insulin pills also are being studied as a diabetes treatment, but the challenge has been finding a way to get the drug to reach the bloodstream without being degraded as it is digested.

A branch of the National Institutes of Health is funding the prevention research, including two other studies: one involves infusions of the drug Orencia, approved for rheumatoid arthritis, another autoimmune disease; the other involves infusions of an experimental drug called teplizumab.

If prevention pills work, they’d likely be less expensive than having a lifetime of diabetes, said Lisa Spain, an institute scientist and program director. Results from the insulin pill prevention study are expected in 2017, she said, adding that it’s too soon to predict an outcome.

Hayden Murphy and his family are cautiously optimistic; after three years in the study, he’s shown no signs of diabetes. Still, his mom says she worries every time he seems thirstier than usual — among symptoms her youngest boy had before his diagnosis three years ago.

There’s a middle son, too — 9-year-old Daxton, who faces an increased diabetes risk because his little brother has it.

“It definitely is a life-changing diagnosis,” Myra Murphy said.

___

Study information: http://tinyurl.com/nfv3ql7

American Diabetes Association: http://www.diabetes.org

___

AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/LindseyTanner

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Related Topics:diabetes insulin type 1 diabetes

Up Next

Artificial Pancreas Can Help Track Blood Sugar

Don't Miss

Medicare Proposes Coverage Change on Short Hospital Stays

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

LIVE! — TOWN HALL ON RACISM AND ITS IMPACT — THURS. 11.14.24 5PM PST

Join us for a LIVE Virtual Town Hall on the Impact of Racism hosted by Post News Group Journalist Carla Thomas and featuring Oakland, CA NAACP President Cynthia Adams & other Special Guests.
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PST

Published

1 week ago

November 12, 2024

Oakland Post

Discussion Topics:
• Since the pandemic, what battles have the NAACP fought nationally, and how have they impacted us locally?
• What trends are you seeing concerning Racism? Is it more covert or overt?
• What are the top 5 issues resulting from racism in our communities?
• How do racial and other types of discrimination impact local communities?
• What are the most effective ways our community can combat racism and hate?

Your questions and comments will be shared LIVE with the moderators and viewers during the broadcast.

STREAMED LIVE!
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/PostNewsGroup
YOUTUBE: youtube.com/blackpressusatv
X: twitter.com/blackpressusa

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

California Black Media

Gen. Election Update: Tracking Your Votes on Ballot Propositions — and What They Mean for Our Communities

In the Nov. 5 General Election, Californians cast their votes on ten propositions addressing issues from education and climate funding to prison labor and the minimum wage.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 6, 2024

Oakland Post

By Joe W. Bowers Jr., California Black Media

In the Nov. 5 General Election, Californians cast their votes on ten propositions addressing issues from education and climate funding to prison labor and the minimum wage.

Below is a breakdown of the propositions, their potential impact and an update on how we voted on them.

Likely to Pass:

Proposition 2: Bonds for Public School and College Facilities
With 56.7% support, Prop 2 is on track to pass. This measure would allocate $10 billion to repair and upgrade K-12 and community college facilities, especially in under-resourced schools. For students, this funding could lead to safer and more supportive learning environments.

Proposition 3: Constitutional Right to Marriage
Prop 3 currently has 61.4% support and is likely to pass. This measure aims to amend California’s constitution to affirm marriage rights for all. For LGBTQ+ individuals in our communities, this is a powerful affirmation of equality and inclusion.

Proposition 4: Bonds for Water, Wildfire, and Climate Risks
Currently passing with 57.8%, Prop 4 is on track to deliver $10 billion for projects that address water quality, wildfire prevention, and climate resilience. This could have a significant impact on communities that face the harshest effects of climate change.

Proposition 34: Restricts Spending of Prescription Revenues
Prop 34 is narrowly passing with 51.4% support, indicating that it may succeed. The measure would require specific healthcare providers to use 98% of revenue from federal drug discount programs on direct patient care. This could improve healthcare access for low-income residents.

Proposition 35: Provides Permanent Funding for Medi-Cal
With 66.8% of voters in favor, Prop 35 is on course to pass, securing permanent funding for Medi-Cal, California’s low-income healthcare program. For many in our communities who depend on Medi-Cal, this measure promises stability and continued access to essential healthcare services.

Proposition 36: Increased Sentencing for Certain Drug and Theft Crimes
With strong support at 70.5%, Prop 36 is poised to pass, increasing penalties for specific theft and drug offenses. This measure would partially roll back sentence reductions established by Prop 47, sparking concerns about potential increases in incarceration rates.

Likely to Fail:

Proposition 5: Bonds for Affordable Housing and Infrastructure
With 56.4% of voters opposed, Prop 5 is likely to fail. The measure aimed to reduce the voting threshold for local bonds from two-thirds to 55%, making it easier to fund affordable housing. Without it, local governments will continue to face higher approval requirements, potentially slowing progress on affordable housing solutions.

Proposition 6: Eliminates Forcing Inmates to Work
Currently failing with 54.9% opposed, Prop 6 is expected to be defeated. This measure would have ended involuntary labor for incarcerated individuals, a practice critics argue disproportionately affects Black inmates. It’s likely failure means the prison labor system will remain unchanged.

Proposition 32: Raises Minimum Wage
With 52.1% of voters opposing it, Prop 32 appears likely to fail. This measure would have raised the minimum wage to $18 an hour. While proponents argued it would provide greater financial stability for low-wage workers.

Proposition 33: Local Government Residential Rent Control
With 61.9% voting “no,” Prop 33 is expected to fail, meaning that local governments won’t gain expanded authority to enact rent control. Real estate groups argued that this measure could hinder housing development. Its failure means that current rent control laws will remain in place, leaving fewer protections for renters.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

California Black Media

Covered California Open Enrollment Began Nov. 1

Open enrollment for Covered California kicked off on Nov. 1, 2024, offering individuals, families, and businesses a chance to secure quality, affordable health insurance for the upcoming year. This annual enrollment period allows California residents to choose from a variety of health plans that meet their specific needs. Covered California offers comprehensive coverage, including preventive care and financial assistance to help eligible applicants lower their monthly premiums.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 6, 2024

Oakland Post

iStock

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Covered California offers comprehensive coverage, including preventive care and financial assistance to help eligible applicants lower their monthly premiums. The program features insurance plans from leading providers, ensuring access to essential health services such as doctor visits, hospital care, and mental health services.

This year, notable updates include expanded financial assistance, which increases the support available for eligible households to help offset monthly costs. Additionally, consumers will find greater plan flexibility, allowing them to select options that fit their lifestyles and budgets. Access to no-cost preventive services — like vaccinations, screenings, and annual check-ups — remains a priority.

Key enrollment deadlines are set as follows:

The open enrollment period runs from Nov. 1, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2025.
Those who enroll by Dec. 15, 2024, will have their coverage start on Jan. 1, 2025.

To facilitate enrollment, applicants can fill out an inquiry form on the Covered California website, reach out to Certified Enrollment Counselors, or contact Covered California directly at (888) 234-5366 or via email at GetCovered@cbhn.info.

The California Black Health Network (CBHN) collaborates with Covered California to advocate for health equity, focusing on underserved communities, including unemployed and gig workers. CBHN’s certified enrollers engage in outreach and onsite signups to help individuals access affordable healthcare options.