The discovery of insulin in 1921 by Banting & Best was considered a miracle. However, nearly a century later, and despite considerable advances in insulin therapy, insulin delivery and education, patients with type 1 diabetes still have a reduced life expectancy and many have a high risk of developing long-term complications.

Prof Colin Dayan, Professor in Clinical Diabetes & Metabolism at Cardiff University, explains why insulin isn’t enough, why we need more than insulin to treat and manage type 1 diabetes and how better blood glucose control may be achieved through preserving the body’s own insulin production.