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Insulin
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Diabetes
Trust

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IDDT Canada

Welcome to IDDT Canada

IDDT is a UK organisation set up in 1994 to help and support people with diabetes who need natural animal insulins. This sub-group of people with diabetes cannot use synthetic so-called ‘human’ insulin because of adverse effects on their health and quality of life.

The aims of the Trust are:

To help and support people with diabetes who cannot use synthetic ‘human’ insulin.
To try to ensure that natural animal insulins remain available for the people that need them.
To provide information about the availability of animal insulins
To seek recognition of the difficulties that a significant minority of people have when they are treated with synthetic ‘human’ insulin.
To represent and lobby on behalf of this group of people to ensure that they have the natural animal insulin they need to retain good health and a good quality of life.

IDDT – Canada

The withdrawal of beef insulin by Eli Lilly in Canada and the proposed withdrawal of their pork insulin lead to the formation of IDDT-Canada by Carol Baker, who says:

"One of my concerns is that any choice of insulin is being eliminated. I no longer have a choice locally or nationally to buy the insulin that is best for me. It has been arbitrarily removed. Nobody asked me!"

Introducing Carol Baker
Carol lives in Victoria, British Columbia and has had insulin dependent diabetes since 1959. She used beef insulin until 1987 when she tried using synthetic ‘human’ insulin.

She says, ‘I tried it for several months and found that my glycaemic control just went on holiday! Also on ‘human’ insulin I found that my warning signs of low blood sugar were so subtle that I often didn’t notice until I reached dangerously low levels. I returned to beef and I am still using it today. My early warning signs have returned and my HbA1c levels [the blood test that shows the average blood sugars over the last few weeks] are at a very reasonable level. I work hard at good control as I want to continue to avoid any complications of my Type 1 diabetes.’

In 1998 when Eli Lilly announced that they were stopping production of their beef/pork insulin, Iletin1, Carol was deeply concerned and started to look around for a supply for her future needs. She contacted IDDT in the UK and discovered that in the UK, CP Pharmaceuticals Ltd supply both beef and pork insulins and not only in vials but also in cartridges for use with pen injection devices. She also realised that there were many other people in Canada in a similar situation to herself who needed animal insulin, help and information. She also recognised that they needed representation and an organisation through which their views and experiences could be expressed to Health Canada, the medical profession and the pharmaceutical companies. Carol believes that it is essential that people with diabetes unite on this issue to ensure that they have the choice of insulins they need to control their diabetes safely and effectively, while at the same time maintaining a good quality of life.

So ‘IDDT-Canada’ was formed!

Carol will be delighted to hear from you so if you would like:

more help and information,
to exchange and share experiences,
to offer your support,

to become a member of IDDT, receive quarterly Newsletters and regular news updates

Contact Carol Baker at:
IDDT Canada
PO Box 30165
Saanich Centre Postal Outlet
Victoria, B. C.
V8X 5E1

Tel/Fax 1(250) 477 8564
e-mail address iddt_cda@yahoo.com

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