More Evidence That the “Artificial Pancreas” Is Safe and Effective

In 2016, the FDA approved the first hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery system (“artificial pancreas”) for adults and adolescents with type 1 diabetes; in 2018, the minimum age was lowered to 7. These devices include a continuous glucose monitor and a linked insulin pump that delivers basal insulin at a continuously adjusted, algorithmically optimized rate; patients still must administer meal boluses manually. Closed-loop systems have improved glycemic control and lowered risk for hypoglycemia for inpatients and outpatients with type 1 diabetes, but most studies have been small and brief.

In a 2018 study — the largest randomized outpatient study to date of closed-loop technology — researchers randomized 86 children and adults with type 1 dia…