A Diabetes Timeline

It was one of those cute(sy) ADA magazines, with artwork done by(or to) type 2's scattered quite liberally through its pages.
(wait, there's ONE dedicated to a type 1-wow!)
There are some good things in there-things I'd like to get. The 2006 Gift of Hope ornament, for one.
But I'm not expecting any of my dollars to go toward type 1 research, more then likely
it'll go toward type 2. (I realize type 2 needs to be cured too, but the ADA likes its type 2's. The only reason we type 1's get the occasional recognition, is its still diabetes, and sometimes type 2's actually become more like type 1's...(need insulin) Type 2, is definatly more sexy. They can keep coming up with all these new,cool drugs, to blast the insulin resistance back into submission.
Whereas, with type 1, we're limited to plain old insulin...

A Diabetes Timeline
(an excerpt from that magazine-with a few embellishments)

1921 Doctors Banting and Best extract insulin from dog pancreases and use to successfully treat diabetes in dogs. (Nowadays, we do all our experiments on rats/mice,we'd be charged with cruelty to animals if we did it on dogs)
1922- Leonard Thompson, 14, is the first person to be treated with insulin.
1923- Commercial production of insulin begins.
1940- The American Diabetes Association is founded.
1948- The first issue of ADA's "Forecast" rolls off the press.
1949- Insulin is discovered to work like a key,transporting glucose into cells.
1950- Exchange lists for meal planning are developed by the ADA and the other National Food Nazi-ish groups by dividing foods into six groups, or "exchanges", based on the calories, carbohydrates, proteins and fats in each serving.
1950- Lente(type of insulin) comes out.(?)
1953- Tablets for testing urine glucose became widely available, and urine test strips appear over the next few years.
1954- The first successful kidney transplant is performed + dialysis machines really get perfected.(but not for the diabetic,on whom it is considered a "waste".)
1955- Sulfonylureas, oral medications that stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin, are developed.
1959- Researchers differentiate the type 1's from the type 2's. ( C-peptide test?)
1961- Glucagon, an injectable treatment for hypoglycemia, is developed. (You mean that handy little kit has been in production for that long? Was it always white?(help me out here, long timers)
1964- The first strips for testing blood glucose by color code enter the market.
1966- The first sucessful pancreas transplant is performed.
1970-The first blood glucose meter is developed. Vitrectomy, a surgical procedure to restore sight to those with vitreous hemorrhage and retinal detachment, is first performed.
1971- The American Diabetes Association Gift of Hope program is developed and generates $5,000 its first year.
1973- U100 and syringes are released, to help reduce errors in insulin usage. (standardization)
1974- The National Diabetes Research and Education Act, the first such law in US history, requires the goverment to gather and disseminate diabetes research and information.
1975- Researchers in Scotland detect antibodies to islet cells in people with type 1 diabetes, supporting the idea that type 1 diabetes is caused bya nimmune system attack on pancreotic cells.
1976- Exchange lists are revised to allow for more individualized meal plans to to reflect research showing the need to reduce fat in the diet and not overly restrict carbohydrates.
1977- The Hemoglobin A1c test is devised as a rapid way to test overall blood glucose control over a three month period. (and our lives have never been the same since)
1978- Researchers introduce bacteria to produce Humulin, which is identical to human insulin. Until Humulin became available in 1982, patients relied on insulin from animal pancreases.Researchers achieve normal blood sugar levels in patients using insulin pumps.
1981- Self monitering of blood glucose becomes a standard part of diabetes care.
1984- Diet Mountain Dew hits the shelves, making many former Tab drinkers very, very happy..
1985- A National Eye Institute study shows that diabetic retinopathy can be sucessfully treated with laser photocoagulation.
1987- Three hundred pancreas transplants are performed in the United States.
1988- Blood pressure medications are shown to reduce protein in the urine and slow the progression of kidney disease.
1989- Steel Magnolias,
the movie that EVERY PWD knows and loves, is released.
1993- The Diabetes Complication and Control Trial shows that good blood glucose control can significantly reduce/stop diabetes complications.
1995- Carbohydrate counting is developed.
1996- The Red Cross changes its policy regarding type 1 diabetic donors, they are permitted to give blood(providing they've never taken animal insulin).
1996- Lispro, aka Humalog, is developed and immeadietly becomes vastly preferred to Regular. (although some diabetes clinics continue to use Regular F.O.R.E.V.E.R. longer... I didn't start Humalog, till 2000)
1997- Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes is defined by cause rather, then treatment. The fasting bg needed for diabetes diagnosis is lowered from 140 to 126. Rezulin, which makes muscle cells more sensitive to insulin, enters the market.
1998- Nicole Johnson (now Baker) sweeps diabetes into the national scene, by winning
the Miss America pageaunt. Definatly making diabetes the cool disease of the year.
1998- While (then) President Clinton is expressing his profound sorrows to the American People, one American Citizen has (much)weightier matters to reflect upon + doesn't much feel like reading about his.
2001- Islet transplants are first performed.
2002- The Diabetes Prevention Program trial results are announced, just 30 minutes a day of moderate activity coupled with a 5-10% weight reduction, reduces type 2 diabetes incidence by 58%.
2005- 7%(20.8 million) of the US population has diabetes. Another 41 million are estimated to have pre-diabetes.
2006- The Guardian RT + Dexcom are approved, making a few (lucky) PWD's very happy.