Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat MP and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Diabetes, has welcomed the approval of a new drug which can delay the onset of diabetes for up to 3 years, describing it as “breakthrough” for people with Type 1 diabetes.
Teplizumab, sometimes called Sanofi or tzield, was given the green light this week and will be made available on the NHS in England and Wales.
It will be used to treat presymptomatic adults and children above the age of eight, offering a chance to delay its onset.
Mr Gordon, who worked for a diabetes charity before entering Parliament, said:
A drug that can delay onset is phenomenal news for the type 1 diabetes community. It’s a huge breakthrough.
I’m sure I speak for the whole parliamentary group when I say that we’re determined to harness this momentum towards even more progress.
We’ll keep banging the drum to get a screening programme in place and continue to improve treatment.
