Type 1 diabetes is more prevalent in Finland than anywhere else in the world, affecting approximately 50,000 people. New automated insulin delivery pumps have significantly improved diabetes care, while also increasing treatment costs. A recent study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital assessed the long-term cost-effectiveness of automated insulin delivery pumps, comparing them to continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion pump treatment combined with continuous glucose monitoring. The study included 336 children and adults with type 1 diabetes.
The results showed that automated insulin delivery pumps significantly improved quality of life and reduced diabetes-related complications. The quality-adjusted life expectancy increased by an average of 2.3 years for individuals using an automated insulin delivery pump. Although the overall costs of automated insulin delivery pump treatment were higher than those of conventional insulin pump treatment, its cost-effectiveness ratio was only 11,184 euros per quality-adjusted life-year, which is well below the generally accepted willingness-to-pay threshold of 50,000 euros in Finland.
This is the first cost-effectiveness study of automated insulin delivery pumps conducted in Finland. The results support the use of automated insulin delivery pumps for patients with type 1 diabetes.
Source:
Journal reference:
Vallivaara, H-L., et al. ((2025) Long-term health economic evaluation of automated insulin delivery system compared with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion pumps and CGM in a real-world setting in Finnish paediatric and adult individuals with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. doi.org/10.1111/dom.16520.
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