U.S. Senator Katie Britt Advocates for Sustained Scientific Research to Treat Type 1 Diabetes

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) attended a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing titled: “A Future Without Type 1 Diabetes: Accelerating Breakthroughs and Creating Hope.” Witnesses included youth delegates and Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers, Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

Senator Britt began by speaking directly to the young delegates in attendance, saying, “Thank you to all of you for being here, being a part of it, lifting your voice, telling your story, and working to make change  … to all of you, I know each of you have a story that in telling it will inspire others, will change lives, and will push research and development forward.”

The Senator also thanked Dr. Rodgers, whom she had questioned in a 2023 Senate Appropriations hearing:“[Y]ou shared with me that Alabama has one of the highest rates of gestational diabetes in the country. We also went on to discuss the fact that when a woman does have gestational diabetes, that it increases the likelihood that she will ultimately have diabetes and that the infant will as well.”

“How is NIDDK supporting research on how best to manage diabetes during pregnancy and to ensure that the health of mothers and children are at the forefront of this research?” Senator Britt asked.

Dr. Rodgers responded, saying, “current practice in obstetrics and gynecology is to do an oral glucose tolerance test, usually in the third trimester of pregnancy, to determine whether a woman has … gestational diabetes.”

Dr. Rodgers explained this current treatment offers room for improvement, given high levels of glucose may present themselves earlier in a woman’s pregnancy. He highlighted the GO MOMs study that analyzes the use of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and their potential benefit to mothers and babies.

Senator Britt continued, saying, “as a policymaker, I want to make sure that potential cures for [Type 1 diabetes] don’t take us down the same road as insulin … it is still unaffordable for so many … how do we make sure that we balance creating an innovative place in research and development where people were rewarded for that, but not at the expense of being able to get these incredibly important drugs or treatment to people nationwide?”

“[O]ur goal is really to focus on developing a cure so that … their own cells are producing the insulin … to better understand and to develop treatments, preventions, and curative strategies,” Dr. Rodgers emphasized.

The Senator concluded by highlighting her support for ensuring scientific progress to treat Type 1 Diabetes continues: “There are many issues that you see in the news that unfortunately divide us along party lines, but this is not one of them. And Democrats, Republicans, we all stand united in making sure that we have the research and the treatment and the availability of these things for each and every one of you.”

The Senator’s full remarks can be viewed here.

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