Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that requires lifelong insulin therapy. Its global impact continues to rise, with more than 9 million people living with the condition. Delayed diagnosis postpones essential treatment and poses serious health risks. Although genetic predisposition and several environmental exposures are associated with type 1 diabetes, there is currently no way to prevent its onset. However, screening for islet autoantibodies offers a valuable opportunity to identify individuals at risk years before symptoms appear, enabling closer monitoring and earlier intervention.
Community-based education and screening programmes can support timely diagnosis. Yet universal screening remains unfeasible in low- and middle-income settings and even in some high-income countries. Scientific progress, including therapies capable of delaying the condition’s onset, offers new hope for prevention-focused approaches.
This online event will provide an opportunity to learn about the importance of screening and early detection of type 1 diabetes, as outlined in the new IDF-ISPAD policy brief.
Speakers include:
- Prof Peter Schwarz, President, International Diabetes Federation (IDF)
- Prof Fergus Cameron, President, International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD)
- Prof Jennifer Couper, ISPAD Early-stage Type 1 diabetes working group
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Lucía Feito Allonca, IDF Blue Circle Voice, Spain
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Nkiruka Okoro, IDF Blue Circle Voice, UK
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Anita Sabidi, IDF Blue Circle Voice, Indonesia
- John Story, Founder and Campaign Lead, Lyla’s Law Campaign, UK
