Diabetes affects 60 million people across Europe and the numbers are rising rapidly. A new paper published by MedTech Europe, ‘A Vision for Digitally Enabled Diabetes Care in Europe’, sets out the views of experts on key trends, challenges, and possible solutions, as well as the role of digitisation in empowering people with diabetes and improving the quality of care.

To discuss the findings and themes of the paper, Professor John Nolan, Trinity College Dublin, moderated two online panel discussions on how the latest developments are laying the foundations for the future. More than 160 attendees tuned in for the webinars which featured contributions from doctors and patient advocates.

Contributors agreed that new thinking is urgently required. Almost one in 10 people in Europe have diabetes, putting them at risk of serious complications. These complications are largely preventable if the condition is managed well.

Digital technologies will play a key role in the future of diabetes care. This was evident when work on the paper began but has become even clearer since the COVID-19 outbreak.

‘Diabetes care is increasingly being supported by digital technologies,’ said Prof Nolan. ‘We knew this before the pandemic, but COVID-19 has been an immediate and urgent trigger for adaptations in medical care. It has underscored the need for much more integrated care in diabetes.‘