People With Diabetes Using Insulin Flying Across Multiple Time Zones: Limitations and Opportunities for Diabetes Technologies.

Increasingly, people with diabetes (PWD) are using wearable and other devices to support self-management. During air travel, there are 4 stakeholders involved in maximizing the safety of wireless devices for diabetes care used in flight: (1) manufacturers of the devices, (2) airlines, (3) the Transportation Security Administration, and (4) the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These stakeholders have all developed technologies and policies that assist PWD who prepare for and take appropriate actions during long-haul flights. This article discusses the performance and use of 6 classes of specific wireless diabetes devices during an airplane flight, including the following: (1) blood glucose monitors, (2) continuous glucose monitors, (3) insulin pumps, (4) smart pens for dosing insulin injections, (5) advanced hybrid closed-loop systems, and (6) spinal cord stimulators for painful diabetic neuropathy. Through the policies and safeguards of the 4 stakeholders and the proper self-care measures that insulin-using PWD can take, it is possible to maintain safe glycemic levels on flights across multiple time zones.
Competing Interests: Disclosure D.C.K. is a consultant to Better, EOFlow, Integrity, Lifecare, Nevro, Novo, Sanofi, and Thirdwayv. A.A.-M. is the retired EVP & CTO of Insulet Corporation. D.T.A. has received speaker’s honoraria from Lilly Diabetes, Novo Nordisk, Xeris Pharmaceuticals, and Mannkind and consulting fees from Ascensia Diabetes Care, Roche Diagnostics, and Senseonics. D.K. has received remuneration for participation in Advisory Boards from Sanofi, Novo Nordisk, and Abbott Diabetes Care and research support from Novo Nordisk and Abbott Diabetes Care and has financial interests in Glooko, Proteomics, Better Therapeutics, Hi.Health, and SNAQ. The other authors have no multiplicity of interest to disclose.
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