Funding for rare diabetes test to have "tremendous" impact

Wednesday 10 July 2024

Islanders who suspect they may have a rare form of genetic diabetes will no longer have to cobble together around £1,000 for a specialist test thanks to the work of a local charity.

MODY – Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young – is a rare form of diabetes that tends to run through families.

Affecting between 1% and 2% of diabetics, usually aged under 25, it can often gets mistaken for Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and can cause serious implications if not managed properly.

There is also an estimated 50% chance that a parent with MODY passes it onto their child.

Due to a lack of funding, individuals at risk of MODY were not previously offered automatic genetic testing by the Diabetes Service, costing patients in the region of £1,000 per test.

There are thought to be about 50 people in need of a genetic test in Jersey.

However, Diabetes Jersey has now offered Health and Community Services the necessary funding to resolve this issue.

With this funding from the charity, the Diabetes Service will now be able to provide genetic testing for patients until the beginning of 2026.

After this point, Diabetes Jersey Chair Bill O'Brien explained, Health and Community Services have agreed to provide the necessary funds to continue the testing programme.

Pictured: Mr O'Brien said that it was an agreed condition with HCS that funding would be provided to continue the testing from 2026 onwards.

The impact for those likely to be affected by MODY is expected to be "tremendous", he added.

"It will severely reduce the onset of this form of diabetes, where on occassions, delays in diagnosis can lead to serious complications.

"It'll help to alleviate any worries that families may have."