Type 1 Diabetes – A Significant Global Health Challenge
Type 1 diabetes
Understanding Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly destroys insulin-producing beta cells located in the pancreas. This damage severely impairs the body’s ability to produce insulin, leading to a lifelong dependency on insulin therapy through multiple daily injections or insulin pumps.
The disease affects millions worldwide, particularly young people. The incidence of type 1 diabetes is approximately 20–25 per 100,000 among those under 20 years of age in North America and many Western countries, and as high as 40–60 per 100,000 in Northern Europe.
Due to its short- and long-term complications, type 1 diabetes imposes considerable daily challenges and reduces significantly the average life expectancy creating a significant global socioeconomic and public health burden. The unmet medical need remains substantial, underscoring the importance of continued research and the development of effective preventive solutions.
Learn more about the world’s first preventive vaccine for type 1 diabetes:
“Type 1 diabetes is a serious autoimmune disease that destroys the body’s insulin-producing cells, leaving millions of people—especially children and young adults—reliant on lifelong insulin therapy. With incidence rates rising rapidly across the globe, type 1 diabetes has become a major public health and socioeconomic challenge, reducing significantly life expectancy and imposing daily burdens on patients and families everywhere. The urgent need for innovative, preventive solutions has never been more clear.” Mikael Knip - Member of the Board, Cofounder, Professor of Pediatrics, MD, PhD