Hello all!


IF you've thought about an insulin pen for yourself or
someone in your family because you thought it might help
with dosing accuracy but were put off by your physician's
objection THe following may be of interest, from the July,

2010 issue of the Braille MOnitor.

THis article I reference discusses a study of dosing
accuracy conducted in a scientifically rigorous manner which prooves our
contention that blind people or those with low
vision are not any more inaccurate than their sighted peers
when using these devices to deliver insulin dosages.

>>

Insulin pens were first invented in the late 1980s as a
convenient, easy, and accurate way to deliver precise amounts of insulin.
They are the size and shape of an old-fashioned fountain pen except that
instead of ink they are filled with insulin, and instead of pen tips they
have disposable, screw-on needles. To set the dose, the person using the
pen turns a knob on the end opposite the needle, which makes a small click
that can be heard and felt for each unit of insulin dialed. (A few pens
make a click for each 1/2 unit.) People who see well can confirm the dose
set by reading a number in a small window near the knob.
      Although insulin pens were not specifically designed for use by blind
people, they are particularly useful for blind diabetics because a person
merely needs to count the number of clicks to determine the amount of
insulin dialed. Consequently, blind people with diabetes began using them
almost as soon as they appeared on the market. Many blind people have used
them safely for years. For a more detailed discussion of how to use an
insulin pen, see an article by Tom Ley that first appeared in the Voice of
the Diabetic, archived on the NFB Website at
http://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/vod/vod215/vodwin0708.htm.>
      Shortly after the pens were first introduced, the major manufacturers
began including a disclaimer in the instructions saying that insulin pens
should not be used by people with visual impairment. This disclaimer has
remained in the packaging for many years, even though thousands of blind
people all over the world have used insulin pens safely. Unfortunately, the
disclaimer causes some healthcare professionals to doubt that blind people
can in fact safely use insulin pens. Some doctors and other prescribers
therefore refuse to write prescriptions for insulin pens for people who do
not see well.


>>

If you think that an insulin pen may be an effective tool
for your diabetes management reference the article.
THe Braille monitor article referenced can be found on the
nfb web site, www.nfb.org, or available via FIdonet from
filegate.net and other systems as brlm0710.zip.



Regards,
           Richard
--- timEd 1.10.y2k+