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
Funding for this crucial program is set to expire on March 31, 2025. Breakthrough T1D Advocates urged Members of Congress to approve a multi-year renewal of the SDP with an increase in funding to $200 million annually. Thanks to 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), we are hopeful this program will continue for years to come.
“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. We urge Congress to renew this critical 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!
