The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) published a consensus statement for insulin pump management online, and the statement will be published in the next issue of the association's official medical journal Endocrine Practice.

The new statement addresses the current state of continuous subcutaneous insulin delivery available to patients who require intensive insulin management, the importance of identifying the appropriate patient, the importance of identifying a provider who will offer comprehensive insulin pump management, and the importance of training the patient to use this equipment to achieve their specific goals.

Insulin pumps have been in use for more than 30 years. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the number of patients using insulin pumps nearly tripled between 2002 and 2007 to approximately 375,000.

"With the proliferation of insulin pump management in medical practices, some guidance is necessary for prospective and current prescribers to assure their optimal and safe use," said George Grunberger, MD, FACP, FACE, and chair of AACE Task Force on Insulin Pump Management. "Appropriate patient selection is critical and needs to be followed by a thorough assessment of their knowledge of diabetes management principles."

In the U.S., there is currently no official requirement for medical supervision of this complex diabetes therapy. In addition, no certifying process exists to guide community physicians, patients and their families, payers, or regulators to qualified clinical settings for the initiation of insulin pump therapy.

As a result, any U.S. clinician can prescribe insulin pump therapy. Too often, patients have only support from the product manufacturer and their own efforts to initiate and advance this demanding therapy.

Source:
American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE)