Research into preventing
and/or curing diabetes is ongoing. Current prevention trials
involve treating close relatives of people with diabetes to
see if certain medicines can prevent diabetes in those at
higher risk of developing it.
Currently, the only known ?cure? for type 1 diabetes is a
pancreas transplant; however, such a surgery brings with it
serious risks to a patient?s health. Transplant patients
must take powerful drugs for the rest of their lives. These
drugs suppress their immune system, so that their body won?t
reject the transplant. Having a suppressed immune system
leaves the body with very little protection from other
diseases, so pancreas transplants are not the answer.
Researchers are also experimenting with transplanting just
the beta cells. This treatment, though promising in theory,
has not yet been successful in the long term
(from American Diabetes Association)
| RELATED LINKS
|