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“A Future Without Type 1 Diabetes: Accelerating Breakthroughs and Creating Hope”

Senate Appropriations Committee

July 9th, 2025 (recording linked here)

WITNESS & TESTIMONY

• Ms. Ruby Whitmore: Children’s Congress Delegate

• Ms. Rachel White: Children’s Congress Delegate

• Ms. Katie Bone: USA Climbing Speed National Champion

• Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D., M.A.C.P.: Director National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

HEARING HIGHLIGHTS

MEMBER OPENING STATEMENTS

• Chair Collins (R-ME) highlighted her longstanding advocacy as co-chair of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, emphasizing how personal stories from children and families influence congressional support for research. Collins recounted her first encounter with a young boy who wished for just one day off from diabetes and stressed the disease’s daily burden. She celebrated advancements funded by the Special Diabetes Program (SDP), including artificial pancreas technology and stem-cell-based treatments, and called for the program’s extension through 2027.

• Ranking Member Murray (D-WA) criticized the Trump administration’s termination of over 260 NIH diabetes-related grants, including studies in her home state, and reaffirmed that Congress—not the President—determines funding. She urged continued investment in the SDP and biomedical research, emphasizing that such support is essential for finding a cure and improving lives.

WITNESS OPENING STATEMENTS

• Ms. Ruby Whitmore, a 16-year-old from Maine, described being diagnosed at age five and how Type 1 diabetes had shaped her life, especially in sports and volunteer work. She highlighted the invisible burden the disease places on families, especially her mother, and the constant need for vigilance and management. Ruby explained how diabetes inspired her to pursue a career in trauma surgery and how access to the latest diabetes technologies made it possible for her to thrive.

• Ms. Rachel White, also 16, recounted being diagnosed shortly before her 12th birthday and how she manages the disease as a nationally ranked tennis player. She described the strict daily routines she follows to maintain stable blood sugars and the constant mental calculations required during matches. Rachel noted how diabetes added an extra layer of difficulty to her life but expressed determination to keep moving forward.

• Ms. Katie Bone, a competitive climber and American Ninja Warrior champion, spoke about her diagnosis at age 11 and her immediate resolve not to let diabetes hold her back. She detailed the physical and emotional toll of the disease, including disrupted sleep and managing blood sugars while traveling for competitions. Katie credited the SDP for providing the technology that enables her to compete at a high level, like continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps. She advocated for renewing the program, citing its role in both personal empowerment and large-scale health care savings.

• Dr. Griffin Rodgers emphasized that research backed by the SDP had transformed diabetes care. He cited key breakthroughs such as the first FDA-approved preventive and cellular therapies for Type 1 diabetes, and artificial pancreas devices now used by many patients. He outlined ongoing research aimed at curing the disease through beta cell replacement and protection from immune attack. Rodgers also noted that SDP advances benefit both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients and called for continued investment to maintain research momentum and explore innovations like AI.

QUESTION AND ANSWER SUMMARY

• Chair Collins asked how coaches and peers were educated about Type 1 diabetes. Ms. Whitmore explained that simply informing others was the key, as most people are unaware unless told. Chair Collins then asked about the new FDA-approved drug Teplizumab, which Dr. Griffin explained can delay the clinical onset of Type 1 diabetes by at least three years in high-risk individuals. He noted this advancement came from SDP-supported research through TrialNet, and emphasized the potential of similar therapies in development.

• Ranking Member Murray inquired how early detection and education efforts are being advanced. Dr. Rodgers said that organizations like NIH, ADA, and Breakthrough T1D are working with physicians and the public to raise awareness and improve access to preventive trials.

  Ranking Member Murray also prompted explanations of “invisible challenges” and scientific advances. Ms. Whitmore spoke about time-consuming, hidden burdens of management, while Ms. Bone highlighted how CGMs and insulin pumps reduced mental strain and enabled high-level athletic performance.

• Sen. Hyde-Smith (R-MS) asked what they most looked forward to if a cure were found. Ms. White said a cure would eliminate fear and burdens in sports and save lives by removing insulin access issues. Ms. Whitmore described it as lifting a lifelong burden and hoped cures would reach underserved populations.

  Sen. Hyde-Smith then asked how to better identify candidates for early treatment. Dr. Rodgers emphasized education for healthcare professionals and the expansion of screening via TrialNet, including those without family history, to prevent severe first-time presentations like diabetic ketoacidosis.

• Sen. Shaheen (D-NH) asked for advice to newly diagnosed individuals. Ms. White encouraged them to stay hopeful, saying the early phase is overwhelming but life gets better with time. Ms. Whitmore and Ms. Bone echoed this, adding that the disease had motivated them and opened unique opportunities.

  Sen. Shaheen then raised concerns about recent cuts to over 260 NIDDK grants and proposed NIH restructuring. Dr. Rodgers responded that continued funding was essential for sustaining momentum in studies like TEDDY, which tracks environmental triggers in at-risk children, and advancing promising cellular therapies for a cure.

• Sen. Murkowski (R-AK) highlighted the success of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI), including a 54% reduction in new diagnoses and a 50% drop in end-stage renal disease among Native populations. She asked how research is addressing racial and ethnic disparities. Dr. Rodgers described how the SEARCH study tracks Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in youth across diverse populations and noted the increased severity of Type 2 in adolescents, especially in Indigenous groups. He also explained that SDP funding helps fill research gaps left by industry, such as in pregnant women and low-income populations, ensuring broader applicability of technologies like artificial pancreas systems.

• Sen. Durbin (D-IL) highlighted his decade-long bipartisan work to increase NIH funding from $30B to $48B, warning that the Trump administration’s proposed budget would erase those gains. He emphasized that cuts to research funding and NIDDK staff threaten progress toward cures and treatments. Dr. Rodgers responded that some staffing reductions stemmed from administrative consolidations and acknowledged that litigation prevents him from fully commenting on terminated grants.

• Sen. Britt (R-AL) praised the youth delegates, referencing Alabama’s high rate of gestational diabetes. She asked about NIDDK’s efforts to improve maternal and infant outcomes. Dr. Rodgers explained the GO MOMS study, which uses CGMs in the first trimester to pinpoint earlier intervention opportunities.

  Sen. Britt also asked how to avoid future access disparities like those seen with insulin pricing. Dr. Rodgers noted NIH’s focus on developing biological cures over long-term reliance on insulin, aiming to reduce dependence on costly external treatments.

• Sen. Baldwin (D-WI) voiced concern over NIH’s forward-funding plan, warning that it could slash new grants by 40%. She asked what such cuts would mean. Ms. Bone said fewer grants would delay cures and prolong the daily hardships of managing Type 1 diabetes, impacting her ability to train, compete, and live fully. Dr. Rodgers acknowledged funding constraints and emphasized the effectiveness of the Special Diabetes Program (SDP), saying that while NIH must prioritize within its limits, more funding would accelerate breakthroughs.

• Sen. Moran (R-KS) reflected on the emotional and policy importance of supporting diabetes research. He asked for the most impactful advances since 2007 and what the future holds. Dr. Rodgers cited Teplizumab (first FDA-approved drug to delay onset), progress in cellular therapy, and early detection tools emerging from the TEDDY study. He discussed future hopes, including pluripotent stem cell encapsulation and applying CAR T-cell technology to halt autoimmunity in Type 1 diabetes.

• Sen. Van Hollen (D-MD) shared letters from two Maryland delegates and asked how technological advances helped her balance diabetes with daily life. Ms. Bone credited her CGM and insulin pump for easing some of the mental and emotional strain, though the disease remains difficult.

  Sen. Van Hollen asked whether funding cuts would slow progress. Dr. Rodgers agreed, explaining that while prioritization is always necessary, cuts could stall or halt promising research prematurely.

• Sen. Ossoff (D-GA) emphasized bipartisan concern over proposed CDC budget cuts, including the elimination of the Diabetes Division and Nutrition, Physical Activity & Obesity Division. He asked about NIH’s collaboration with the CDC. Dr. Rodgers praised their partnership, especially on the SEARCH study, which tracks youth diabetes trends.

  Sen. Ossoff then asked about efforts to ensure treatment and diagnostic access across diverse populations, including Georgia’s Hispanic community. Dr. Rodgers affirmed the agency’s commitment to equitable access and acknowledged the importance of multilingual tools and grants.

• Sen. Hoeven (R-ND) asked what the panelists wished lawmakers better understood about the burden of Type 1 diabetes. Ms. Whitmore explained that the disease requires constant vigilance and affects not just patients but their families. Ms. White discussed her supportive home and school environment, emphasizing how crucial her parents’ involvement has been.

  Sen. Hoeven asked what advice they would give others pursuing tough goals. Ms. Bone said the path is hard but worth it, and stressed the importance of resilience, transparency about struggle, and never giving up—especially for those who dream big, like she does with her Olympic aspirations.