Australia can’t afford inaction on diabetes technology access
More than 1.5 million Australians are living with diagnosed diabetes. Among them, an estimated 350,000 individuals with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, or type 3c diabetes lack access to continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology, which is already considered standard care in many countries.
A diagnosis of insulin-treated type 2 diabetes marks the beginning of a journey that extends beyond medical clinics. Although survival rates and treatment options are improving, the physical, psychological, and financial consequences continue to affect lives across Australia.
Access to CGM is inequitable in Australia. Those with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes are excluded from funding available to individuals with type 1 diabetes, even though their needs and risks are similar. This disparity does not align with current clinical evidence, the needs of patients, or the reasonable expectations of Australians for health equity.
With the support of a coalition of diabetes stakeholders, healthcare professionals, and key researchers, we have launched “THE COST OF INACTION: Australian Voices on Equitable Access to Diabetes Technology.”
This national report was developed in collaboration with leading organisations, clinical and policy experts, and healthcare providers from across Australia.
Its release follows a Federal Budget that included no new funding for diabetes treatment despite the 2024 Parliamentary Inquiry into Diabetes recommending expanded CGM access.
“We have clear evidence that broader access to continuous glucose monitoring technology can improve glycaemic control, reduce avoidable hospitalisations and support better long-term health outcomes for people at high clinical risk.”
The report also highlights the disproportionate impact on at risk communities, particularly in regional, rural and underserved areas, where access to modern diabetes technology remains deeply inequitable.
“A high proportion of our patients with type 2 diabetes who require insulin are managing additional diabetes-related health issues, which adds complexity to ongoing care within a large health service. In our experience, supporting optimal diabetes management for people using insulin is particularly difficult without the use of continuous glucose monitoring.“
“There is a big health equity gap here, because, in particular, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, who have type 2 diabetes who are on injectable medications like insulin are at very high risk of developing diabetes complications. At the moment, these groups do not have access to continuous glucose monitoring.”
The technology exists. The clinical evidence is clear. The cost of delay continues to grow.
Download the full report here
