The study has already been going on for five years. By becoming a JDF Center, the research will be expanded, more of the data processed and disseminated to the scientific community around the world, and a wider variety of preventative methods tested. At this point 40,500 babies have been screened. The newborns are those delivered in the university hospitals in the cities of Turku, Oulu, and Tampere. Fifteen percent of the children tested in the three hospitals fall into the risk category.
Blood is drawn from the children at three to six month intervals.
If they develop islet specific antibodies, which indicate heightened risk for Type 1 diabetes, the scientists offer the families participation in a trial of insulin nasal spray, hoping to delay or prevent the onset of Type 1 diabetes. As half of the older siblings share the risk genes of their newborn brother or sister, their genetics are also assessed, and those deemed at risk are recruited into follow-up and preventive therapy with the newborn. This far-reaching study helps us find ways to identify Type 1 as early as possible. New strategies are being tested here that may prevent or delay the development of Type 1 diabetes in children worldwide. JDF is the world's leading nonprofit, nongovernmental funder of diabetes research.