We May Have Found A Way to Treat Diabetes Without Insulin: Scientists

In the near future, doctors may have a new treatment option for type 2 diabetes, which affects millions of individuals in the United States alone.

Using a unique form of ultrasound termed peripheral focused ultrasound stimulation (pFUS), a recent research published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering in late March tested whether or not it might reduce blood sugar levels in test participants’ livers. The therapy was successful in three animal species and did not need the use of extra prescription medications.

“Unfortunately, there are currently very few drugs that lower insulin levels,” Endocrinologist Raimund Herzog, who worked on the study, said in a statement. “[This] would represent an exciting and entirely new addition to the current treatment options for our patients.”

In addition to experts from numerous institutions, the initiative was directed by a GE Research team. Human feasibility testing, according to one GE biomedical engineer, are imminent.

“We have shown that ultrasound can be used to prevent or reverse diabetes in these preclinical studies,” Christopher Puleo says in a company press release.

If the technology succeeds in reaching the market, it will meet a critical need in the world today. Because of the rise in insulin pricing, many individuals have lost their lives as a result of being unable to afford the drug any longer.

This comes at the junction of fatphobia and blatant disinformation, as seen by politician Matt Gaetz who voted against regulating insulin pricing saying on Twitter that diabetic patients should just lose weight, despite the fact that individuals who are slender often get type 2 diabetes as well. When confronted with this sort of public health catastrophe, it is imperative that an alternative be found as quickly as possible. Science for the win.