On 1 July 2026, Diabetes UK brought the Type 1 Tipping Point campaign to Westminster to show MPs and policymakers what is needed to turn promising type 1 diabetes research into real-world treatments for everyone who could benefit.
The event took place just one week after teplizumab, the first immunotherapy for early-stage type 1 diabetes, was approved for use on the NHS. It provided an opportunity to discuss the future of type 1 diabetes treatments and share our new report, Type 1 Tipping Point: Seizing the opportunity to transform type 1 diabetes.
We were delighted that Josh Newbury, MP for Cannock Chase, hosted the event. Before entering Parliament, Josh worked in a mental health trust that included a specialist service for people with type 1 diabetes and disordered eating, giving him first-hand insight into some of the challenges people face.
Guests also heard from Rosalind Campion, Chief Executive of the Academy of Medical Sciences and former Chief Executive of the Office for Life Sciences. She spoke about the importance of ensuring scientific breakthroughs can be translated into treatments and services that are available through the NHS.
Our Together Type 1 Young Leaders, Sophie and Jonathan, shared their personal experiences of living with type 1 diabetes, from diagnosis through to managing the condition every day. They also spoke about what future advances in treatment could mean for people living with type 1 diabetes.
"Diabetes isn't just counting carbs and deciding how much insulin to take, it shows up in every aspect of life...we are our own personal doctors, 24/7, and it's a big thing to be making treatment decisions every hour sometimes, it's scary. A screening programme and new immunotherapies have a whole range of positive impacts, but I think for me, above all, they represent change in the way type 1 diabetes is treated and managed and hope that, one day, type 1 won't be associated with such a day-to-day burden." - Sophie
"Managing insulin is a constant process that varies on a day-to-day basis. Activities that healthy individuals may take more for granted, such as going out for dinner or running, need a lot more thought to ensure blood sugar levels remain in target range. We are essentially doing the leg work of what the pancreas does in healthy individuals, which means you have to have a mindset of constantly thinking about blood sugar levels and insulin delivery to maintain optimum levels." - Jonathan
More than 30 MPs were represented at the event, alongside researchers, funders, healthcare professionals, industry representatives and health system leaders. Bringing together people from across the type 1 diabetes community will help build momentum behind the campaign and support efforts to accelerate the development and delivery of new treatments.
The Type 1 Tipping Point campaign aims to ensure scientific advances can reach the people who need them most, helping to create a new era in type 1 diabetes treatment.
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