Diabetes Care Innovation: The Price of Closing the Loop

A rise in disease prevalence and in per-capita cost together signal that new solutions are needed to supplement, or replace, traditional diabetes management tools. Patient empowerment and self-care have widely been deemed the key to effective – and cheaper – diabetes management and prevention; however, gaps in education and in means exist. To address these gaps, players large and small are looking to crack the code for the perfect formula for self-management. While most hype has been dedicated to the “artificial pancreas," or the closed-loop insulin delivery system, innovation is also reshaping other primary aspects of diabetes management (e.g. nutrition and weight management, physical activity, and blood glucose monitoring). In this report, we landscape innovation in diabetes management, highlight strengths and pitfalls of emerging solutions, and comment on the price of closing the diabetes feedback loop (or the ability of these emerging solutions to empower self-management). We also outline action items for traditional diabetes players as well as newcomers, so that together they can deliver on the common vision of cheaper, more effective diabetes care.