June 2, 2015

Of Spinal Tap, One Louder and Advocacy

Diabetes advocacy can learn from the great philosopher, Nigel Tufnel, who offered this sage observation, “Well, it's one louder, isn't it?


We need to turn up the volume and to keep it up. Why? The diabetes caucus is the largest in the US Congress, yet many pieces of diabetes legislation lack the support of those very caucus members.
Worse, in the current policy environment the squeaky wheel is going to get cut less, the other are going to get slaughtered. Diabetes needs to turn it up. We can't let them just move on after checking the diabetes box. So we to turn up the advocacy volume to help keep attention and accountability on diabetes.

But, I hear you say, “Just taking care of diabetes is a time major attention already, advocacy is just more.” 

No kidding. So advocacy needs to be easy. Click simple. OK, it will be. I am proud to partner with Christel in creating the Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC.) Join us.


DPAC is a non-profit and non-partisan organization founded to provide united, simple, and effective advocacy opportunities for people impacted by diabetes for safety, quality and accessibility of care.
DPAC will keep track of issues, opportunities, and how to contact officials and make it easy to advocate.


Be one louder. 

Dexcom on Android


From press release: 

Dexcom® Announces Follow App is Now Available for Android Devices

Caregivers and Loved Ones of People with Diabetes Now Have Access to Life-Saving Glucose Data on their Android Devices

SAN DIEGO--()--Dexcom, Inc., (NASDAQ:DXCM), a leader in continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for patients with diabetes, announced today that the Dexcom Follow app is now compatible with Android devices. The app is a component of the Dexcom G4® PLATINUM Continuous Glucose Monitor System with Share™, the industry’s first mobile-connected CGM system. Already available to iOS-enabled devices, the Follow app allows family members, friends and caregivers (“Followers”) to remotely view a loved one’s glucose data and trends on their smart device, giving them peace of mind and reassurance when they are apart. CGM users (“Sharers”) can invite up to five Followers to view their glucose information via the Follow app. The Followers can view the Sharer’s glucose data and trends, as well as choose to receive alerts and notifications when the Sharer’s glucose levels are outside specified ranges.
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This is the Follow app, not the Share tool, it is still on iOS. But it is a step in the right direction.