SIMCOE COUNTY INSULIN PUMPERS MEETING # 18 April 26, 2004 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Note: Simcoe County Insulin Pump Group and it's organizers makes no warranty nor implied warranty for any of the contents and information understood from it's meetings, speakers nor for anything contained within it's correspondence nor opinions expressed herein nor otherwise and does not intend for any information provided by it's presenters or participants at it's meetings and within it's correspondence to supercede in any way any advice from health care professionals. Simcoe County Insulin Pump Group does not endorse any brand, model nor manufacturer of Diabetes Management equipment nor supplies. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ In these minutes: - Faye McNeil of Roche Diagnostics: Latest meter news and new strips! - Bill 55 ! - Online Auction of a new Cozmo pump soon to come! - Beckwith Petition to get OHIP coverage for all diabetes management supplies, including pumps, a go! See how you can help. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ideas, topics, issues for future meetings? email me, Darrin: insulinpumper@sympatico.ca +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SIMCOE COUNTY INSULIN PUMPERS MEETING # 18 April 26, 2004 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm We had a total of 13 people attend. As always there were refreshments and snacks. Thanks once again to Zehr's for their kind use of their Community Room! +++ Feature Presenter: Faye McNeil of Roche Diagnostics gave us, as always, a most informative talk on blood glucose testing in general and updated us on their latest developments in improved and more convenient blood checking technology. Faye reports that the Simcoe County area locations for free downloading and printing of your Accu-Check meter statistics are located at: - Barrie DEC, now on Quarry Rd. (next to RVH) - Dr. Jeffrey Bond's office in Barrie. Note that some product and name changes have taken place for Roche meters in order to make their products uniform in every country. One reason for this is so you can ask for Accu-Check test strips anywhere in the world and the local pharmacy will know what product you're asking for. THe packaging is now the same as well for all countries. Changes: "Accu-Soft" is now known as "Accu-Check". Meters notes: Accu-Check Advantage is the most used meter in Canada with 68% of hospitals using it. Strips are now packaged better and are far more convenient to use with a much smaller drop of blood required: 1.8 ul Faye reminded us that their lancing device is the most preferred in the industry and spoke about the significant R&D that went in into developing this lacing device. She explained that a coating of Teflon on the lancet is responsible for making a cleaner cut rather than a "tear" in the flesh but after just one use this coating is compromised. Lancing devices should be changed every two years as this is their expected lifetime prior to the firing mechanism losing it's precision ability to make a comfortable incision. Users of Roche meters can simply call their 1-800 number for free replacements. As always, Faye answered many simple and many highly technical questions about blood glucose testing. Thanks, Faye! +++ Bill 55: It is far from passing at the Committee level and much can still happen to side-track this Bill! Your continued support is needed! There was extensive discussion from all attending about this Bill. It's great that it passed 2nd reading and that all MPPs 63 - 0 unanimously supported it BUT it may still not reach third reading or it may be watered down by the Social and Justice Committee so that it's meaningless by the time it gets to third reading! Paul reported on his adventures sitting in the Members' Gallery at Queens PArk during the 2nd reading and provided us with a general update. There has been extensive media coverage of this Bill and it's us and people like us who must keep it visible! At this point in time it is important for as many Ontario residents as possible to keep writing and calling their MPPs (see the Bill info on your web site) so this Bill doesn't "slip between the cracks"! More soon. +++ Online Auction of a new Cozmo pump soon to come! Simcoe County IP was represented at the Midland CDA Spring Forum. Cozmo had donated a new pump for fund-raising silent auction. As this pump did not get reserve during the voting; the CDA is going to sponsor a coast to coast online auction for this pump! Details soon ot come! +++ Petition to have OHIP cover the full costs of insulin pumps, supplies and diabetes supplies: Paul Beckwith, co-founder of our group, updated us on the "great petition" which is now more important than ever before for furthering the passage of Bill 55! Now is the time for all of us to act! In past, Paul secured and submitted over 10,000 signatures to the House. To date Paul has over 3,000 signatures, due in large part to Insulin Pumpers Canada affiliates; Hamilton Insulin Pumpers and Quinte Insulin Pumpers. Extra copies of this petition available for you to pick up at our meetings or by contacting Paul: p.c.beckwith@sympatico.ca or by going to the Simcoe County website and downloading it for printing. +++ ICES Study on Diabetes care in Ontario: Karen Cauch-dudek, Research Coordinator for the Institute of Clinical and Evaluative Sciences, gave us a short talk on their current study on diabetes care in Ontario. Now is your chance to be heard!Ê You can find out more about this study at your website: http://homepage.mac.com/dp66/SCIP Thanks Karen for coming up to see us! +++ General Discussions followed. See y'all on May 31st! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NEXT MEETING: ***NOTE LOCATION CHANGE FOR APRIL AND MAY*** MONDAY, May 31, 2004 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm Zehr's SOUTH END Community Room, 620 Young St., Barrie. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Please feel free to volunteer your own special talent to this growing group! Drop me or Paul an email if you want to help, out for a few minutes a month! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Please spread the word about your group! Ideas, topics, issues for future meetings? CONTACT: Darrin Parker: insulinpumper@sympatico.ca Paul Beckwith: p.c.beckwith@sympatico.ca Website: http://www.insulin-pumpers.ca/SCIP/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Note: Simcoe County Insulin Pump Group and it's organizers makes no warranty nor implied warranty for any of the contents and information understood from it's meetings, speakers nor for anything contained within it's correspondence nor opinions expressed herein nor otherwise and does not intend for any information provided by it's presenters or participants at it's meetings and within it's correspondence to supercede in any way any advice from health care professionals. Simcoe County Insulin Pump Group does not endorse any brand, model nor manufacturer of Diabetes Management equipment nor supplies.