Rome, July 1 (Adnkronos Salute) – The Lazio Region guarantees free of charge the technological device for instantaneous self-monitoring of blood glucose, leading to a turning point in the regional healthcare offering. This is the success of the alliance between the Italian Society of Diabetes (Sid) and the Association of Diabetologists (Amd) together with Federdiabete Lazio, who worked together with the Region on a document for the extension of the reimbursement criteria for the new devices for self-monitoring of glucose for all people with type 2 diabetes treated with insulin (any dosage or number of injections) and to begin extending the use of sensors (2 per year) to patients at high cardiovascular risk. This is what emerged today in Rome during a press conference at the Sid headquarters, in the presence of representatives of Sid, Amd, the Lazio Region and Federdiabete Lazio.
The measure was adopted through a resolution by Andrea Urbani, director of the Health and Social Health Integration Department of the Lazio Region, on the proposal of Marzia Mensurati, director of the Drugs and Devices Area. A response that meets the specific health needs of people with diabetes, providing them with innovative and effective tools. The measure certifies the importance of ensuring widespread distribution of devices throughout the region and replaces the previous Resolution G01660 of 2013.
The use of a sensor that monitors blood sugar levels has shown benefits on multiple fronts: from glycemic compensation to the prevention of complications, to an improvement in the quality of life thanks to the greater freedom, accuracy and manageability of the devices. “This is an important goal – underlines Nicola Napoli, president of Sid Lazio – achieved thanks to the collaboration and synergy between scientific societies, patients and the Lazio Region, in particular Dr. Marzia Mensurati. The benefits for patients are concrete: from the lower risk of hypoglycemia, in particular for those who present a higher vascular risk, to the general quality of life”. The document – it was reiterated – establishes the maximum ceilings of devices for continuous blood sugar monitoring. The working group has established the target of patients who can derive the maximum benefit from a perspective of balance with respect to costs.
“Thanks to the synergic work carried out together with patient associations and the Lazio Region, we now have tools to support diabetes therapy that allow us to adopt an innovative approach to managing the disease – explains Vincenzo Fiore, president of Amd Lazio – As scientific societies, our goal is to promote equal access to these new tools for an ever-improving daily management of the disease. It is important to exploit this opportunity, transforming the regulatory primacy achieved by the Lazio Region into a clinical advantage and a new management approach to benefit the health of people with diabetes”.
“The new regional resolution that extends the use of blood glucose sensors to all people with type 2 diabetes regardless of the number of insulin administrations and also to those still affected by type 2 diabetes who have a high cardiovascular risk represents a significant step forward in diabetes care. The Italian Society of Diabetology – states the elected president of SID, Raffaella Buzzetti – appreciates the work of the regional SID and AMD representatives who, actively collaborating with the Lazio Region, have achieved this significant result also thanks to the commitment of patient associations. The Lazio Region is therefore certainly among the most advanced Regions in the process of diabetes care with a view to preventing its complications”.
“The tools for monitoring blood sugar levels in real time represent useful and innovative allies for keeping blood sugar levels under control and possibly modifying lifestyle, diet and therapy – says Riccardo Candido, national president of Amd – The data in the literature on the benefits of these devices for people with type 2 diabetes, on non-insulin therapy, are still few: the hope is that from the pilot experience of the Lazio Region, useful data for clinical practice can be collected, so that other Regions can follow the Lazio example”. The prescription of the devices and consumables will be carried out exclusively by specialists in diabetes endocrinology enabled on the platform (web-care) and subject to verification by the hospital pharmacist, against the drafting of a therapeutic plan. The ‘continuous’ systems measure the glucose that circulates in the subcutaneous interstitial fluid. Depending on the duration of the sensor, the maximum number of sensors that can be prescribed is indicated, with no limits on reimbursement.
