From March 15–18, more than 200 passionate, motivated Breakthrough T1D Advocates from all 50 states convened in Washington, D.C., for Breakthrough T1D 2026 Government Day.
Government Day remains one of Breakthrough T1D’s most impactful ways to effect change. By bringing the lived type 1 diabetes (T1D) experience directly to policymakers, we are accelerating progress toward our vision of a world without T1D. Guests also enjoyed networking opportunities, briefings from our Research, Advocacy, and Medical Affairs teams, and a spirited volunteer recognition celebrating our successes of the last year.
Over the course of a few days, our advocates held nearly 500 meetings with Members of Congress and their staff in the U.S. House and Senate, sharing their personal stories of life with T1D, championing our top legislative priorities, and doing all they could to ensure that the collective voice of the T1D community was heard loud and clear on Capitol Hill.
Advocating for Progress on Capitol Hill
Breakthrough T1D Advocates had a few specific asks for Congress. These represent our top legislative priorities, which will have the biggest impact on our ability to achieve our mission.
Support for the Special Diabetes Program (SDP)
It should be no surprise that the Special Diabetes Program (SDP) is first and foremost.
The Special Diabetes Program (SDP) remains pivotal to our ability to realize cures. Since its creation in 1997, it has contributed nearly $3.8 billion to T1D research. This investment has paid huge dividends, generating breakthroughs and delivering an estimated $50 billion in Federal healthcare savings, just from the use of devices alone.
In February 2026, Congress passed an extension of the SDP through December 31, 2026, along with an increase in annual funding from $160 million to $200 million. Advocates expressed deep gratitude for this progress while emphasizing the urgent need for long-term renewal.
Protect Critical T1D Research and Cures
Progress toward cures is impossible without funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—essential agencies driving the development of new therapies, prevention strategies, and cures. Advocates asked Congress to support strong funding for these agencies to ensure our critical progress continues.
Accelerate Cell Therapies
Cell therapies are a matter of when, not if. Today, there are more than a dozen cell therapies in clinical trials. Our advocates highlighted the transformative potential of these approaches to cure T1D, and called for policies and funding to support faster clinical trials, scalable manufacturing, and future access to these life-changing therapies.
Insulin Affordability
People with T1D cannot live without access to insulin. It’s that simple. While there has been marked progress of insulin affordability in the past few years, including the $35 monthly cap for those on Medicare, there is still work to be done.
Advocates continued to push for meaningful insulin affordability reforms. They are calling on Congress to expand affordability and access to those with commercial insurance and the uninsured through forthcoming legislation.
Mary Tyler Moore Award: Princess Padmaja Kumari Parma
One of the highlights of Government Day was the presentation of the Mary Tyler Moore Award to Princess Padmaja Kumari Parmar of Udaipur, India.
Princess Padmaja was recognized for her extraordinary leadership and dedication to improving the lives of people with T1D. Through her advocacy and global engagement, she has helped elevate awareness, drive progress, and inspire action across the international diabetes community—embodying the spirit and legacy of Mary Tyler Moore.
Mary Tyler Moore’s husband, Dr. S. Robert Levine, shared remarks highlighting Mary’s enduring legacy, and CEO Aaron Kowalski, Ph.D, presented the award to the Princess.
Congressional Legacy Award: Senator Jeanne Shaheen
Breakthrough T1D was also proud to honor Senator Jeanne Shaheen (NH) with the Congressional Legacy Award in recognition of her decades of leadership and unwavering commitment to the T1D community. Here’s a brief summary of her accomplishments:
- Co-chaired of the Senate Diabetes Caucus—a driving force behind renewing the Special Diabetes Program.
- Played a key role in advancing FDA guidance that enabled faster approval of automated insulin delivery systems—accelerating access for people with T1D by years.
- Worked for years to improve insulin affordability, including helping secure the Medicare $35 per month insulin co-pay cap and continuing efforts to expand affordability protections.
Across her years of service, Senator Shaheen has consistently ensured that the T1D community is seen, heard, and prioritized in Congress. She is one of the greatest T1D Congressional champions to date.
A Community Driving Change
Government Day once again demonstrated the power of our stories. Every person impacted by T1D has a story to tell about how they live with this disease, what it’s like, and how Congress can help. Every meeting in which those stories were told made a crucial connection that will bring us closer to a world without T1D.
Breakthrough T1D is tremendously thankful to the hundreds of advocates who came to Washington, D.C., to make this event possible—and for making it impactful.
This was also our last year using the name “Government Day.” After all, it’s a several-day event! Next year, we’ll be back as “Breakthrough T1D On the Hill” — a name that better represents our organization and the event.
Want to use your voice to power progress on our path to cures? Become an Breakthrough T1D Advocate today.
November 2022 was a historic moment for the type 1 diabetes (T1D) community: Teplizumab (Tzield), the first disease-modifying therapy (DMT) for T1D, was approved by the FDA.
Tzield has been game-changing for T1D. It’s the first therapy for the disease that addresses the root cause of T1D, not the symptoms. It targets the T cells that are responsible for destroying insulin-producing beta cells, slowing down the autoimmune processes that cause T1D. Tzield has proven to delay progression to Stage 3 T1D—when insulin therapy is often required—for up to three years.
The approval of Tzield was a culmination of decades of passionate work by Breakthrough T1D, the only organization that supports T1D therapy development at every stage—from discovery research all the way through to people with type 1 diabetes receiving these therapies with healthcare coverage paying for them.
Pioneering Research and Strategic Investments
In the late 1980s, Kevan Herold, M.D., had just started his faculty-level career at The University of Chicago. He was diagnosed with T1D several years earlier, which heavily influenced his decision to focus on endocrinology. There, he met Jeff Bluestone, Ph.D., an immunologist concentrating on cancer research. After meeting many members of the T1D community through Dr. Herold, Dr. Bluestone switched a large portion of his research to new therapies for T1D.
One of their early studies showed that type 1 diabetes onset could be delayed with an anti-CD3 antibody, which later became teplizumab. Breakthrough T1D supported this novel research, which led to the first-ever clinical trial of a T1D disease-modifying therapy in humans in the early 2000s. The trial was a success and laid the groundwork for further studies and eventual support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the Special Diabetes Program (SDP).
Over the next two decades, teplizumab was acquired by MacroGenics, a company formed to develop immune-based therapeutics for autoimmune diseases and cancer, then sold to Provention Bio, a T1D Fund-backed biopharmaceutical company focused on disease interception and prevention. The drug underwent several NIH and Breakthrough T1D-funded clinical trials; it was Provention Bio’s PROTECT trial that pushed it over the finish line to FDA approval in 2022.
In 2023, Provention Bio was acquired by Sanofi. This brought the first T1D disease-modifying therapy into the portfolio of a leading global pharmaceutical company. It also represented a significant endorsement of the potential of DMTs to have an impact on people living with T1D.
People like Chris Dunn.
Breakthroughs in Action
Chris Dunn is a parent of four children, two of whom live with T1D. Knowing that immediate family connections are a risk factor for developing T1D, Chris and her children without T1D participated in screening.
Much to her surprise, Chris’ screening results revealed the presence of multiple T1D antibodies; further testing indicated she was in stage 2. Chris knew that Tzield could potentially delay her need for insulin therapy, so she made the informed decision to undergo treatment.
“I’ve had a front row seat to this disease for nearly 20 years,” Chris said. “Any day that you can save yourself from having to be on insulin therapy and all of the risks that come with that is worth it to me.”
Chris represents our research breakthroughs in action. She hopes that Tzield will delay the onset of Stage 3 T1D until cell therapies are available to cure the disease.
The Future of Tzield
As Tzield becomes more widely used in people over the age of 8 in Stage 2 type 1 diabetes, Breakthrough T1D’s Disease-Modifying Therapies Program is exploring how it may benefit other ages and stages.
“We continue to fund research to discover and develop new interventions and new ways of rebalancing the immune system, ultimately working toward our goal of a world without type 1 diabetes,” said Joshua Vieth, Ph.D., Senior Director of Research at Breakthrough T1D.
In October 2025, Tzield was accepted into the FDA Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher program for accelerated review. If approved, this could lead to expanded use of Tzield for people with newly diagnosed Stage 3 T1D (when insulin therapy is required). This is significant—it would be the first time people at this stage could have the option for a disease-modifying therapy.
Delaying the onset of T1D in young children would be transformative for families facing a diagnosis. Interim results from an ongoing clinical trial, PETITE-T1D, showed that Tzield is safe and well-tolerated in children under 8 with Stage 2 T1D. Final results of the study are expected sometime this year, and Tzield has been accepted for priority review by the FDA for this population.
While Tzield is the first approved disease-modifying therapy for T1D, Breakthrough T1D will make sure it’s not the last. Our goal is to not just delay T1D progression but stop it entirely, or even reverse its course. We will support the continuous development of these therapies to change the trajectory of type 1 diabetes for everyone affected by it—and those yet to be—to cure the disease.
Congress has passed bipartisan legislation to extend and strengthen the Special Diabetes Program (SDP), a cornerstone of Federal investment in type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. The President signed the legislation and it is now law, ensuring continued momentum toward better treatments, disease-modifying therapies, and cures.
This legislation:
- Extends the SDP through December 31, 2026, and increases funding from $160 million to $200 million annually.
- Strengthens overall funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by $415 million.
- Increases diabetes research funding at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) by $10 million.
These are huge wins for the T1D community – join us in thanking Congress today!
Our SDP advocacy
Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) played an important role in the establishment of the SDP in 1997 and in its many renewals over the past three decades, working alongside bipartisan champions in Congress to sustain and strengthen this critical research investment. Breakthrough T1D advocates and staff engaged directly with Congress through thousands of emails and hundreds of meetings in support of renewing the SDP over the past several months.
Also, in mid-January, Breakthrough T1D convened a Capitol Hill briefing with lawmakers, Federal research leaders, scientists, and individuals living with T1D to highlight how sustained Federal investment through the SDP continues to accelerate progress across the research pipeline. The briefing underscored the importance of predictable funding in advancing emerging therapies and improving outcomes for families nationwide.
Created by Congress and administered by the NIH, the SDP has contributed nearly $3.6 billion to T1D research and has played a role in nearly every major breakthrough in the field. From advances in disease management to the approval of the first therapy shown to delay the onset of T1D, the program has consistently delivered meaningful progress for people living with the disease.
“Passage of this bipartisan SDP extension and an increase in funding is a major win for the T1D community,” said Lynn Starr, Chief Global Advocacy Officer at Breakthrough T1D. “The Special Diabetes Program has powered transformative research for more than 25 years. Increasing and extending this funding ensures that lifesaving work can continue without disruption and that we keep advancing T1D cures and therapies. We are tremendously grateful for the leadership and unwavering support of Senate Diabetes Caucus Co-chairs Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Congressional Diabetes Caucus Co-chairs Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL).”
SDP demonstrates significant return on investment
The value of the SDP extends beyond scientific breakthroughs.
A recent study conducted by Avalere Health shows that of the nearly 3.6 billion invested into the SDP by Congress since the establishment of the program, the Federal Government has realized $50 billion in healthcare savings through improved health outcomes from the use of SDP driven therapies and devices. This demonstrates a strong return on investment for both patients and taxpayers.
Take action
Breakthrough T1D is deeply grateful to the bipartisan champions of the SDP in Congress and to the advocates across the country whose voices helped make this extension possible. Continued Federal leadership and partnership remain essential to accelerating a future without T1D. Join us in thanking Congress for this extension!
What is the pipeline?
Every new medical device, therapy, treatment, and drug—including those for type 1 diabetes (T1D)—goes through the drug development pipeline. Getting a new therapy or device from the earliest stages of research eventually into the hands of people with T1D is a complicated process. Science takes time (from years to decades!), money (from hundreds of millions to billions!), and brainpower (lots and lots of brilliant scientists, doctors, researchers, and more)—and lots of it.
That’s what drives us and our work in the pipeline: people with T1D doing better.
This process is complex, to say the least. There are safety checks at every step of the way. Data are scrutinized, and preclinical and clinical testing must meet ethical standards. In fact, many new drugs and devices don’t make it very far in the pipeline—and those that do take a long time to get there.
Breakthrough T1D is unique in that we work across the entire pipeline—from start to finish—for every promising therapy or device that we invest in. Between Research, Advocacy, and Medical Affairs, we work at every single step to accelerate progress and get new treatments to people with T1D faster than ever.
That’s our value proposition. That’s what makes supporting us different than supporting an individual researcher, or a university, or a company.
Let’s dive a little deeper into the pipeline—and how we’re turbocharging it.
Time and money
Total money spent in the diabetes space in FY24:
$146 million
By Breakthrough T1D
$521 million
Total T1D research support, including by Breakthrough T1D
$160 million
By the Special Diabetes Program
$412.9 billion
In healthcare
Total investments in new drugs and devices:
12 to 15 years
Estimated time it takes a new drug to get to the clinic
$1 billion
Estimated total cost to bring a new drug from discovery research to the clinic
3 to 7 years
Estimated time it takes a new medical device to get to the clinic
$522 million
Estimated total cost to bring a new medical device from discovery research to the clinic
The pipeline in action: Automated insulin delivery systems
Automated insulin delivery systems vs. artificial pancreas systems
At the very beginning, these devices were called artificial pancreas (AP) systems. Today, they are called automated insulin delivery (AID) systems. We’ll be referring to them as AID systems going forward.
The process at a glance:
$171 million
The amount of money Breakthrough T1D spent on AID system-related research from 2005 to 2024
12 years
The amount of time it took for next-generation AID systems to go from discovery research to clinical adoption after Breakthrough T1D became involved
Hundreds of millions of dollars
Total investment in AID systems from all stakeholders
60+ years
The amount of time it took for AID systems to become a reality, starting with the first experimental AP system in 1964
A deeper dive into the process:
Breakthrough T1D x AID systems
Breakthrough T1D has played a significant role in the evolution of AID systems. Doug Lowenstein, a long-time Breakthrough T1D volunteer and supporter, detailed the history of AID systems from the very beginning, and how we accelerated progress at every step of the way.
Discovery research
It’s the early 2000s. I’m a new AID system, but I don’t exist yet—I’m just an idea. I live in the minds of some scientists and researchers who think that I have the potential to one day become a reality. But, turning an idea into reality can be hard. It’ll take a lot of people, time, and effort for me to exist—but it’s not impossible. The question is: how? Answer: it starts with funding.
2005: Breakthrough T1D launches the Artificial Pancreas Project
Breakthrough T1D dedicates funds to scientists and researchers who have compelling ideas to turn AID systems into a reality, marking the start of the decades-long Artificial Pancreas Project (APP). These investments were key in jump-starting research into all the components needed to make an AID system work.
“[The goal was] to keep people alive and healthy until we find a cure. We were losing people…overnight of low blood sugars. If we could automatically dose insulin and have everybody go to sleep and all wake up, that was an incredible victory.” -John Brady, member of Breakthrough T1D Executive Committee in the early 2000s, former Chair of Breakthrough T1D’s International Board of Directors, and father of a son with T1D
Translational research
It’s 2008. Scientists are making progress on the three key parts that need to work in harmony for me to become a reality: a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), an insulin pump, and an algorithm that lets them talk to each other. But, like most new ideas, before I’m allowed to be tested on humans, I need to be tested in animal models first. Lucky for me, I skipped this step because someone made a tool that could simulate how I would act if I was attached to a human being.
2008: Breakthrough T1D-funded scientists create simulator tool to bypass animal studies
The simulator tool, developed from the initial Breakthrough T1D grants, allowed scientists to model how an AID system would respond to real-life scenarios, like eating a certain amount of carbs or exercising, and how this would translate to blood sugar outcomes like time in range or hypoglycemic events. The FDA accepting the use of this tool was a major win—without animal studies, AID system development was accelerated by years.
“The simulator saved at least five years of animal studies because we didn’t require an algorithm to be tested in an animal model to be deemed safe and effective before going into human studies. That entire chunk was eliminated.” -Sanjoy Dutta, Ph.D., Breakthrough T1D Chief Scientific Officer
Clinical trials
It’s 2012. Scientists have come up with different versions of my components that are ready to be tested in humans. For the next four years, I’ll be attached to people with T1D around the world who courageously volunteered themselves to test if I actually work. Turns out, I do a pretty good job at managing blood sugar—and I’m safe!
2012 to 2016: AID systems make headway in clinical trials
While clinical trials for AID systems started in earnest in 2008, they kicked into high gear in 2012, when investigators started conducting trials using different AID components and algorithms in real-life settings. Progress moved quickly, and results from numerous studies supported the idea that AID systems are both safe and effective. Breakthrough T1D funding—along with the Special Diabetes Program—helped move these trials forward.
“Getting involved in AID system trials to me was my chance to pay it forward for somebody else. I have lived 45 years with T1D…I think there’s something comforting in knowing that my body was used for something that not only had the potential to make me healthier, but really was for other people. I do think there’s something to be said for doing good, feeling good, and this is what it felt like being part of trials.” – Alecia Wesner
Regulatory approval
Flashback to 2009. While scientists are busy figuring me out, people at Breakthrough T1D are already thinking about and planning for my future—and how to work with the decision-makers at the FDA who will ultimately decide my fate. The FDA has also given their two cents about the best ways researchers can test me in clinical trials to get the data needed for me to get approved. Fast forward to 2016, it finally happens: I get FDA approval!
2009 to 2016: From APP roadmap to FDA approval
In 2009, Breakthrough T1D published the AP Roadmap, detailing what the future of AID systems will look like—and how we plan to get there. Two years later, we worked with the FDA on clinical trial design for AID systems so that there was a clear path to approval. After human clinical trials, the FDA approved Medtronic’s hybrid closed-loop MiniMed 670G—officially marking the first AID system to be available in the U.S.
“I do give [Breakthrough T1D] credit for pushing, for saying there’s a real need for this.” -Jeff Shuren, M.D., Head of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the FDA at the time
Access
Flashback to 2008. At this time, people were still unsure if one of my main components—a CGM—was a reliable way to measure blood sugar. This all changed when a first-of-its-kind clinical trial showed that CGMs are better than finger pricks and glucose meters, and they were covered by insurance shortly after. This decision paved the way for my future: after my approval in 2016, insurers began offering to cover me.
2008 to 2017: Insurance coverage evolves
The landmark Breakthrough T1D-funded clinical trial in 2008 provided the data to convince private insurers to cover CGMs. Nearly a decade later, Breakthrough T1D launched its “Coverage2Control” campaign to advocate for insurance coverage of T1D treatments, therapies, and devices—including AID systems—ultimately resulting in all major private insurers offering coverage of AID systems by the end of 2017, followed by Medicare shortly after.
“Seeing the artificial pancreas go from concept to reality…is what makes Breakthrough T1D and all of the advocacy volunteers—who sent an email, made a call, signed an action alert, or met with their Member of Congress—very proud of this historic achievement and the impact that these will have on the individual lives of those with type 1 diabetes.” -Cynthia Rice, former Chief Mission Strategy Officer at Breakthrough T1D
Adoption
It’s present day. There are tons of iterations of me, and even more coming. People get to choose which version of me they like best. I’m covered by most health insurance. I’ve come a long way since I was just another thought in the minds of a few scientists who had a vision… and now I’ve come to life! Even so, not everyone has chosen to use me yet—and I will continue to evolve and grow until I can make the lives easier of as many people with T1D as possible.
2017 and on: More and more AID systems come to life
After the first hybrid closed-loop AID system was approved, the flood gates were opened. More and more systems are coming to market each year, and they keep getting better. They’re smaller, easier to use, and better at managing blood sugar. They’re covered by both government and private insurance plans. They’re an integral part of routine discussions between people with T1D and their healthcare providers, and people have options to choose which system is best for them. This is a future that was difficult to imagine two decades ago—and now it’s a reality. Even so, the work continues until AID systems are a reality for more and more people with T1D.
“What we brought to bear is resulting in a safer and easier life for hundreds of thousands, and soon millions, of people with T1D, including my son, that is going to keep them safe until something like a cure comes along,” -Jeffrey Brewer, one of the APP founders
The final stage: Cures and improved lives
It took tons of time, money, people, and effort to get us where we are today, but we’re not at the finish line yet. “The end game for AID systems,” says Breakthrough T1D CEO Aaron Kowalski, Ph.D., “is to have multiple compatible pumps, glucose sensors, and algorithms, so that patients can mix and match what they prefer.”
The end game for T1D as a whole, however, is cures. AID systems have greatly improved the lives of those with T1D—and will continue to do so now and in the future—while we continuously work toward cures that are one day available to everyone with the condition.
The path followed for AID systems is a roadmap for other therapies coming down the pipeline. Breakthrough T1D’s Project ACT is taking a page from the AP roadmap and applying it to cell therapies, so that functional cures can get to people with T1D who want them as quickly and safely as possible.
While I’m proud of my work as a scientist at Breakthrough T1D on AID systems (and my brother and I currently wear AID systems that are derived from Breakthrough T1D-supported work), more than anything else I want to take off my diabetes devices and achieve what our founders set out to do—find cures for T1D.”
Breakthrough T1D successfully took an idea and turned it into a reality—and we’ll do it again and again until T1D is a thing of the past.
Analysis compiled by Avalere Health and supported by Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) finds that research funded by the Special Diabetes Program (SDP) has yielded more than $50 billion in federal healthcare savings.
Created by Congress in 1997 and administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the SDP provides federal funding to support research to prevent, treat, and ultimately cure type 1 diabetes (T1D).
The Special Diabetes Program (SDP) is set to expire soon! Ask your Members of Congress to renew the SDP!
Working closely with the SDP’s champions in Congress—Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)—Breakthrough T1D leads advocacy efforts supporting continued funding for the SDP.
The SDP has directly supported many of the most important innovations that have changed how T1D is managed—including continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and automated insulin delivery (AID) systems.
Today, these technologies are the standard of care and are used more broadly, including by people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) contributing to improved health outcomes for people with T1D and T2D.
Understanding the SDP’s Economic Impact
To better understand the program’s economic impact, Avalere Health conducted an analysis of estimated federal cost savings associated with SDP-supported technologies.
The analysis focused on direct medical expenditures and modeled the savings resulting from the use of CGM and AID systems including savings to the tax-payer supported public insurance programs like including Medicare, Medicaid, and the Department of Veteran’s Affairs.
Avalere Health’s findings indicate that CGMs and AID systems alone have generated at least $50 billion in federal healthcare savings through improved glucose management and reduced diabetes-related complications.
The actual federal savings and total economic impact of these technologies is likely higher as the analysis does not account for indirect cost savings—such as improved productivity (such as, not having to take time off work to treat a low, etc.), reduced disability, or long-term prevention of complications.
CGM and AID 2024 utilization and savings, total federal savings from start of SDP
| Technology | Population Using Technology (2024) | Annual Savings Per Patient (2024) | Federal Savings By Diabetes Type (1998-2024) | Total Federal Savings (1998-2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) Without AID | T1D: 749,700 T2D: 1,738,600 | $5,502 | T1D: $10.9 Billion T2D: $21.2 Billion | $32.1 Billion |
| Automated Insulin Delivery System (AID) | T1D: 780,300 T2D: 1,856,400 | $5,306 | T1D: $5.4 Billion T2D: $12.9 Billion | $18.3 Billion |
T1D therapies on that are on the market or currently in development have benefited from SDP-supported research in numerous ways, including:
- Clinical trials and technology validation for CGMs and AID systems
- Development of disease-modifying therapies, including Tzield, the first therapy approved by the FDA to delay the onset of insulin therapy dependence in T1D
- Development of advanced therapies for diabetic eye disease
- Early-stage beta-cell replacement research, including Lantidra, the first therapy approved by the FDA to place insulin-producing cells back in the body and ultimately reduce or eliminate the need for insulin therapy
The SDP’s Future
This study and existing literature confirm that the SDP has demonstrated a strong return on investment—both clinically and economically. The SDP has also made life with T1D more manageable. AID systems are now standard of care and they are leading to better outcomes with less disease burden.
Ongoing support for diabetes research and treatments will be essential to realizing the full potential of emerging innovations for individuals with diabetes
Disruptions in SDP funding may hinder clinical research infrastructure, delay scientific advancement, and slow patient access to therapies that reduce complications and lower overall costs.
As policymakers evaluate the future of the SDP in the debate over government funding stakeholders should consider how funding decisions will maintain or interrupt momentum in diabetes research, bringing advanced therapies to market, and how that will impact continued cost savings from improved health outcomes for people with diabetes.
Read the Insights & Analysis report and the full white paper on the Avalere Health website.
Editor’s note: Content for this story drawn from Avalere Health’s Insights & Analysis report.
From March 1 to 4, 2025, Breakthrough T1D’s annual Government Day once again brought 185 dedicated volunteer advocates from across the country to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., to advance our priorities. After two days of coalition building, volunteer recognition, and briefings from our Advocacy and Research teams, our extraordinary advocates met with nearly every Congressional office. Together they emphasized the importance of supporting type 1 diabetes (T1D) research progress by renewing the Special Diabetes Program (SDP), protecting critical T1D research and staffing, and accelerating cell therapies.
Renew the SDP
The first item on the agenda: renew the Special Diabetes Program (SDP).
The SDP is a Federal program that currently allocates $160 million each year to T1D research through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Since its inception in 1997, the SDP has funded $3.5 billion in T1D research! The program supports research at all stages of T1D, including cures, prevention, and treatments. It has yielded significant advancements for the T1D community, including:
- The first FDA-approved therapy to delay the onset of T1D in individuals in the early stages of the disease
- The development of automated insulin delivery systems, which are now considered the standard of care for individuals with T1D. (In fact, the SDP funded multiple pivotal clinical trials for the systems people with T1D rely on every day!)
- Breakthrough therapies addressing T1D complications, such as diabetic eye disease
Just days after Government Day wrapped, Congress and the President enacted a six-month, $80 million renewal that funds the program through the end of September, 2025. This achievement is the result of strong bipartisan support fueled by the voices represented at Government Day, our countless advocates around the country, and the steadfast leadership of Congressional champions like Senate Diabetes Caucus co-chairs Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Congressional Diabetes Caucus co-chairs Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL).
“The Special Diabetes Program has fundamentally changed life for the 1.6 million Americans who, like me and my daughter, live with type 1 diabetes. Breakthroughs like artificial pancreas technology and beta cell replacement therapies are possible because of the Special Diabetes Program,” said Breakthrough T1D Chief Global Advocacy Officer Lynn Starr.
Support T1D Research & Cures
Our advocates delivered another key and timely message: Congress must maintain the momentum toward finding cures and ensure strong funding and staffing for essential agencies like the NIH and FDA.
Breakthrough T1D believes in having efficient government agencies and programs that serve the best interests of the American people. Taxpayer dollars should always be spent thoughtfully and purposefully, focusing on advancing the public good. But we can’t slow down the incredible momentum towards T1D cures. Our advocates urged Members of Congress to do all they can to retain key staff at leading T1D related health agencies, prevent drastic cuts to NIH research grants, and provide strong appropriations to agencies so they can deliver cures, prevention strategies, and new treatments.
Accelerate Cell Therapies
Our north star is curing T1D. If we can manufacture insulin-producing cells and safely put them inside the body to replace the cells that were lost, we’ll have cured the disease. Today, cells like these are in human clinical trials—and they’re producing insulin. Clinical trial results are very promising, and one cell therapy product is entering the final trial stage before approval. The next step is keeping cells safe in the body without using drugs that have serious side effects. Researchers are working on this in several ways, from placing them inside a protective barrier to modifying cells so they are undetected by the immune system. Project ACT (Accelerate Cell Therapies) is Breakthrough T1D’s initiative to speed up the development of cell therapies and allow us to walk away from T1D for good. In their meetings, our advocates gave a preview of Project ACT and asked that Members of Congress support policies to speed the way to cures.
A special guest
Congresswoman Kim Schrier, MD (D-WA), the only current Member of Congress with T1D and first pediatrician elected to Congress, spoke to our advocates about her personal experiences and the impact of the Special Diabetes Program on those living with T1D.
“As a doctor and a person with type 1 diabetes, I understand the challenges that come with managing this disease. That’s why I’ve worked hard in Congress to help others, including advancing legislation to improve diabetes self-management training, enhancing awareness and screening for T1D, and lowering insulin costs for millions of Americans,” said Congresswoman Schrier, M.D. “Through this advocacy, I’ve had the pleasure of working with the incredible Breakthrough T1D team. I am grateful for their dedication to research, treatment, prevention, and someday cures for this disease.”
Click here to view her full remarks.
Join us!
In just a few months, 165 youth living with type 1 diabetes will gather for Breakthrough T1D 2025 Children’s Congress—our biennial event that brings Delegates from across the country and around the world to Washington, D.C., to share their experiences with the disease, and to advocate for issues that are important to the T1D community. Until then, please join us and use your voice to help people with T1D!
Op-ed by Breakthrough T1D Chief Global Advocacy Officer Lynn Starr
In my role as Chief Global Advocacy Officer, I lead an incredibly talented and dedicated team based in Washington, D.C., to support our mission—accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and better treat type 1 diabetes (T1D) and its complications.
The Advocacy team has many functions, all in pursuit of driving our mission progress forward faster. Some examples:
- We work with regulatory agencies around the world to establish roadmaps for approvals of advanced therapies.
- We advocate for insulin affordability so anyone who needs it can access the lifesaving medication they need at a reasonable, predictable price.
- We work with insurance payers to ensure there’s coverage for treatments.
- We push for government funding for T1D research.
The team works tirelessly in pursuit of our mission—a mission that’s deeply personal to me. I’ve lived with T1D for 36 years, and my daughter was diagnosed just last year. I’ve personally benefited from the relentless work of this organization, and it’s amazing that we’ve come so far. From automated insulin delivery systems to continuous glucose monitors, the daily management of this disease today would be unrecognizable to me 36 years ago. These advances have made my life, my daughter’s life, and the lives of so many in our community so much better. But the work is not done! Life with T1D remains extremely challenging and requires constant attention and vigilance.
We know this at Breakthrough T1D, and we’re dedicated to pushing further and speeding life-changing breakthroughs. We have many tools in our toolbox as we do this work. One of our power tools is the voice of our grassroots volunteer army of advocates. They are determined champions of our cause. Our grassroots advocates amplify our policy positions on a wide range of issues. In particular, this community voice in support of U.S. government funding for T1D research through the Special Diabetes Program (SDP) has been critical.
The SDP is the U.S. Federal program created in 1997 to fund T1D research through the National Institutes of Health. It’s currently funded at $160 million annually and has contributed nearly $3.5 billion (!) to T1D research since its creation. Breakthrough T1D funds significant amounts towards T1D research ($2.5 billion to date), but we can’t do this alone. We need the SDP funding, too.
The SDP funding has had a direct hand in so many T1D advances, such as automated insulin delivery systems and the first disease-modifying therapy to delay T1D onset. These simply would not have happened without the SDP. And, with the promise of cell therapies, increased research funding is crucial.
The SDP is set to expire at the end of the year. We cannot let that happen! We’re working hard to push forward not just for an extension of the SDP, but also an increase in its funding.
Can you join our advocacy army and help us power forward? It’s incredibly simple: sign up to be an advocate and take action when we email you to ask. Just look for emails from Breakthrough T1D and click through to our action alert, where you’ll be asked to contact your Members of Congress urging support for the SDP.
That’s it—it’s really that easy. It’s also that important.
I’m honored to lead Breakthrough T1D’s advocacy efforts on behalf of the T1D community, and I am so thankful for all the support we’ve received to help drive our mission forward. Especially during National Diabetes Awareness Month, let’s make sure all our voices are heard!
In it to end it,
Lynn Starr
Chief Global Advocacy Officer
Breakthrough T1D advocacy is critical to advancing breakthroughs for the entire T1D community. With the support of our grassroots advocates, our work helps advance treatments, influence policy, and improve access to care for those worldwide who need it.
Special Diabetes Program
The Special Diabetes Program (SDP) is a critical government program that provides $150 million annually to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) exclusively for T1D research. The SDP complements Breakthrough T1D’s research funding and efforts.
To date, the SDP has dedicated nearly $3.4 billion to research. It has delivered real breakthroughs to our T1D community, including artificial pancreas systems, the first therapy to delay T1D onset, and more.
Renewing the SDP is Breakthrough T1D’s #1 advocacy priority.
Learn More About The Special Diabetes Program
“The Special Diabetes Program has provided hundreds of millions of dollars of crucial funding for a range of therapies and investigations. My son is living proof that the SDP has made a real difference in the lives of all people with T1D. But this disease doesn’t stop, so neither can we.”
Angie Platt
Breakthrough T1D Advocate and parent of Jonathan
Insulin affordability
Everyone living with T1D must have access to affordable insulin, which they need to take multiple times a day to survive. No one should suffer or die because they cannot afford insulin.
Breakthrough T1D is committed to making insulin more affordable for everyone, without stifling innovation. This goal requires effort and cooperation from all stakeholders. Government officials, insurers, employers, and others must all do their part, and we will continue to do ours: working with all of them to lower the cost of insulin.
Learn More About Insulin Access And Innovation
“Our out-of-pocket cost for insulin and diabetes supplies was significant and often forced us to make difficult choices regularly. T1D advocacy has given us a voice to tell our stories directly to our elected officials and make an impact and meaningful change for our community.”
Samantha Merwin
Breakthrough T1D Advocate and parent of Saige
Global access
T1D is a global problem, and Breakthrough T1D is the leading international T1D research and advocacy organization.
Our work makes the global scope and impact of T1D more apparent. Spearheading projects like the T1D Index to capture worldwide T1D data and Early Detection to advance general population screening helps us shed light on the condition and connect the global community.
Improved global access to T1D therapies and care will accelerate our mission progress. By attracting new ideas and supporters, the power of Breakthrough T1D’s research, advocacy, education, and outreach extends even further and will ultimately save lives.
Learn More About Global Access
“As a member of the T1D community, I have seen first-hand the profound human, emotional, and financial burden it has on those who live with it. We have the potential to change the trajectory of T1D and improve the lives of millions of people.”
Aaron J. Kowalski, Ph.D.
Breakthrough T1D CEO
We are Breakthrough T1D
Breakthrough T1D is knocking on the door of something big. Giant leaps are happening nearly every day. You have gotten us to where we are today—and you can help us get to the finish line faster. So that you, your loved ones, and people everywhere can enjoy a world free from the burden of T1D. A world where people don’t have to manage their diabetes—don’t take insulin, don’t have blood sugar highs and lows, and don’t develop complications. With your ongoing support, we won’t stop until this condition is a thing of the past.
Learn More About Our New Brand
Learn More About Our Organization
Our organization has a new name, but at 2024 Government Day, our advocates had the same mission: Tell Congress what they must do to support the T1D Community. Luckily for Breakthrough T1D, our advocates are the best in the country and were more than up to the task.
A critical event
Without the partnership of the Federal Government, we will never achieve the ultimate breakthrough—cures for T1D. Our champions on Capitol Hill have enacted key legislation and policies that have directed billions in funding to T1D research to date and crafted policies that have made it easier for our community to manage this disease.
This year, 230 Breakthrough T1D Advocates headed to Washington, D.C., to meet with their Members of Congress and let them know what they can do now and next to continue to drive breakthroughs. All said, they conducted approximately 500 meetings!
Preparing for the Hill
Before their Congressional meetings, our advocates were treated to a full day of detailed briefings. This included seminars on the research partnership between Breakthrough T1D and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), our key messages for Members of Congress, and more.
Advocates also had the distinct pleasure of hearing from two Members of Congress.
Senator Mark Warner and Representative Brett Guthrie both took time to speak about the importance of advocacy and their commitment to working with us to cure T1D.
Introducing Breakthrough T1D
2024 Government Day coincided with our announcement that JDRF is now Breakthrough T1D. Our advocates’ first task was to reintroduce us to their Members of Congress to let them know that while our organization has a new name, we have the same mission—we continue to advocate for the millions of people affected by T1D. They also reinforced that this new name will allow us to better represent the entire T1D community, from the children and families who just received a life-changing diagnosis to the adults who have been living with T1D for decades.
Renewing the Special Diabetes Program
The next item on the agenda was renewal of the Special Diabetes Program (SDP).
The SDP is a critical Federal program that currently provides $160 million annually for T1D research through NIH. This program funds research across all stages of T1D, including prevention, treatments, and cures. It has also delivered significant results for the T1D community. Just a few examples include:
- The first FDA-approved therapy to delay T1D onset in individuals in early-stage T1D
- The development of automated insulin delivery systems, which are now standard of care of people with T1D
- Therapies for the most common T1D complications, including diabetic eye disease
The funding for this important program is set to expire on December 31, 2024, and Breakthrough T1D Advocates asked Members to enact a multi-year renewal of the SDP at $170 million annually.
Pass the INSULIN Act
Everyone who relies on insulin to survive must have access to this life-saving therapy at a predictable, affordable price. Breakthrough T1D is tackling this problem in several different ways, including by supporting the non-profit Civica to manufacture and sell insulin. Our champions on Capitol Hill are working to address this problem, too.
The INSULIN Act, a bi-partisan bill introduced by Senators Susan Collins and Jeanne Shaheen, is the legislation best suited to address this problem and the foundational issues that have created it.
Advocates called on their Members to support this bill, which would establish a $35 per month insulin co-pay cap for those with commercial insurance and take additional steps to ensure insulin is more affordable for everyone, regardless of insurance status.
You too are encouraged to contact your Members about this legislation.
Other asks
Advocates also requested strong Federal funding for NIH, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health.
Additionally, they asked their Members of Congress to keep Breakthrough T1D in mind as they begin to consider and weigh legislation related to cell therapies. This research, which is advancing at a prodigious rate, is no longer science fiction. Insulin-producing cells created in a laboratory have been placed into people with T1D in clinical trials—and they’re working. It’s critical that we work together now to ensure that these therapies have the smoothest possible path to commercialization.
Celebrating together
Government Day culminated in the ‘In it to End it’ Congressional Reception hosted in the historic Kennedy Caucus Room in the Russell Senate building. This event, which was kicked off by Breakthrough T1D CEO, Aaron Kowalski, Ph.D., and Chief Global Advocacy Officer, Lynn Starr, featured remarks by Senate Diabetes Caucus Co-Chairs, Senators Susan Collins and Jeanne Shaheen, and Congressional Diabetes Caucus Co-Chairs, Representatives Diana DeGette and Gus Bilirakis, was a celebration of the new brand and all the breakthroughs we have achieved together. It was also a moment to appreciate the special relationship between Breakthrough T1D and Congress and to rally together for the next step of our shared journey toward cures for T1D.
You can join too
The Advocates who traveled to Washington did an amazing job telling their stories—and we need you to tell yours, too. If you haven’t already, sign up to be an advocate today. We need your voice to ensure Congress continues to support the needs of the T1D community
Breakthrough T1D Advocacy spokesperson Natalie Stanback on Capitol Hill at the Breakthrough T1D 2023 Children’s Congress
Natalie Stanback knows type 1 diabetes (T1D), she knows advocacy, and she knows how to get things done on Capitol Hill.
When her daughter, Nadia, was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 3, it did not come out of the blue. Natalie’s brother, Michael, had been diagnosed 24 years prior. “Given my prior knowledge and experience, Nadia’s diagnosis was breathtaking but not as traumatic as it could have been,” Natalie said.
Today, Nadia is thriving and almost entirely managing her T1D on her own. She’s a champion on the soccer field, involved in her middle school’s theatre program, and “the best big sister” to her siblings. Natalie attributes her daughter’s full and healthy life to advances driven by research and advocacy.
Advocating for Progress
Natalie and her family have been active in the type 1 diabetes community for years. Their involvement with Breakthrough T1D started with One Walk and Team Breakthrough T1D. That’s also where Natalie began speaking publicly about the positive impact Breakthrough T1D makes on her family and everyone living with T1D.
Natalie entered the world of Breakthrough T1D Advocacy at the Breakthrough T1D 2019 Children’s Congress, where Nadia was a Delegate and spoke to her Members of Congress about what it’s like to live with T1D, and why Federal research funding and insulin affordability are critical. The experience made a huge impression on Natalie. “We loved the ability to do something,” she said. “It was such a tangible validation and inspiration.”
From then on, Natalie was a resounding voice in the T1D community. Good Morning America profiled the Stanback family in 2021 to raise awareness about T1D. In 2022, she briefed Congress on the real-world impact of the insulin affordability crisis. And Natalie served as Chair at the Breakthrough T1D 2023 Children’s Congress, a full-circle moment for her and her family. “Helping to foster hope and ignite the advocacy fire in others has been tremendously rewarding,” she said.
Sharing her Story with the U.S. Senate
Most recently, in December 2023, Natalie testified in front of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) in a hearing about diabetes in America alongside Breakthrough T1D CEO Aaron Kowalski, Ph.D. They spoke about the need for affordable insulin and the importance of renewing the Special Diabetes Program (SDP).
“The SDP has supported research that directly contributed to the development of the incredible devices Nadia relies on every day,” Natalie said to the Committee. “We need to ensure the advances made possible by this program continue.”
During the hearing, Natalie also discussed the impact T1D has on daily life. She admitted that even as a “glass half-full” family, the burden of T1D is immense. “It takes a village to raise a child,” she said. “It takes a city to raise a child with diabetes.”
Women Warriors
As a caregiver, Natalie faces her own challenges with T1D. “Burnout is real,” she said. “It’s important for me to catch the signs of it so I can manage the mental load and maintain mindfulness.”
She recognizes that women, whether they like it or not, are often the “default parent” when it comes to caring for a child with T1D. To her, that’s a perfect reason for more women to join in Breakthrough T1D’s advocacy efforts.
“Women are trailblazers,” she said. “Our footsteps are the ones our children most commonly step into first. We have an opportunity to lead them into the future we dream of.”
Sadly, Natalie’s brother passed away from T1D complications in 2020. That fueled her drive for progress and cures even more. Natalie will continue advocating for Nadia, the memory of her brother, and the entire T1D community until the condition is a thing of the past. “A better future for my daughter is why I do this,” she said. “I am so grateful that Breakthrough T1D has provided me with a platform to make it a reality.”
Learn more about how you can get involved in Breakthrough T1D Advocacy.
