Position statements
Islet cell transplantation research in the UK
The success of a novel islet transplantation procedure, called the ‘Edmonton protocol’ was reported in an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, 27 July 2000. The article described how a team of researchers, surgeons and radiologists had successfully carried out a number of islet cell transplantations in people with Type 1 diabetes, in Edmonton, Canada. The majority of transplantees have remained free of insulin injection therapy from the time of transplantation to the present day.
In light of this research breakthrough, Diabetes UK met with interested research groups in the UK and formed the Diabetes UK Islet Transplantation Consortium (Diabetes UKITC). The main objective of the Consortium (comprising initially of seven centres), at this early stage of the research project, is to both replicate and develop the transplantation procedure. The UKITC will be attempting 10 islet transplantations in the UK within a year of the centres being suitably equipped and staffed.
The Diabetes UKITC aims to be all-inclusive, and therefore, it welcomes approaches from other UK research centers wishing to join this collaboration.
Feb 2001