Liz Davis; Tim Jones
Study Staff: Alison Roberts; Vinutha Shetty; Mary Abraham; Martin de Bock; Jacqueline Curran; Adam Retterath
The Type 1 Diabetes Prevention Trial, also known as the Intranasal Insulin Trial (INIT II), is part of a coordinated global effort to develop a vaccine for type 1 diabetes. The trial, which began in 2006, is jointly funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, through the Diabetes Vaccine Development Centre.
If successful, this vaccine could prevent type 1 diabetes and the need for daily insulin injections in people at risk. Over the past 5 years, over 6,500 people have been screened in Australia. Before someone is diagnosed with diabetes, there is a period of time, often many years, when there are no symptoms, but the body’s immune system has already begun attacking the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This time provides a potential opportunity to prevent further destruction of the beta cells and thus the onset of type 1 diabetes.
INITII is recruiting relatives of people with type 1 diabetes. Relatives have an increased risk of developing diabetes, which can be assessed by a simple blood test. Only 2% of the people tested will be considered at high risk of developing diabetes and be eligible to enter this trial. Testing for this study is free and can be done either at PMH or at the local blood collection centre.
Funder: NHMRC; JDRF