The Government of Yukon recently made an important announcement to close the gap on access to proven diabetes technologies. Earlier this year after funding a two-year pilot program, the government made funding permanent for Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) for those 18 years and younger and in September added support for Flash Glucose Monitors for adults living with type 1 diabetes. This new announcement to expand CGM coverage with no age restriction will help support individual choice.
Diabetes Canada congratulates the Yukon Government, all political parties, and the Yukon T1D Support Network. “We are thrilled to see the dedicated advocacy work of the Yukon T1D Support Network make coverage for the glucose monitoring system of their choice a reality for all Yukoners living with type 1 diabetes, regardless of age,” says Laura Syron, President and CEO, Diabetes Canada. “The Yukon Government is leading the country in providing their citizens access to technologies that are proven to help people better manage their blood glucose and avoid medical emergencies and reduce the risk of diabetes complications.”
Diabetes Canada recently launched a campaign to urge all governments to support Flash and CGM devices. “We’re hopeful this announcement will encourage other jurisdictions to introduce similar policies that can improve the health and safety of many people living with diabetes,” says Syron.
Diabetes Canada recommends that people with diabetes who would derive clinical benefit from them should have access to glucose monitoring systems to improve glycemic control. These devices give people with diabetes a more complete picture of their blood sugar management than the moment-in-time snapshot that comes from intermittent finger-prick testing and can therefore lead to better short- and long-term treatment decisions and health outcomes.