Early-screening and awareness campaign for Type 1 diabetes unveiled

An early-screening and awareness campaign calling for greater understanding and support for people with Type 1 diabetes was launched in Beijing, just ahead of World Diabetes Day, which fell on Friday.

The "Co-creating a Type 1 Diabetes-Friendly Society" initiative is guided by the Public Welfare Culture Center of the China National Committee for the Wellbeing of the Next Generation and hosted by CCTV's Healthy Energy Station. The event on Thursday brought together government departments, clinical experts, patient organizations, media and corporate partners.

Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune condition that often emerges in childhood or adolescence, progresses silently through three clinical stages, and many families only learn of the disease when a child is hospitalized with severe complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis.

Cao Bingyan, director of endocrinology at the Capital Institute of Pediatrics, said early detection can reshape long-term care. "Early screening will promote the realization of whole-life-cycle management for T1D, shifting the focus from 'one person' to 'the whole family,' and transitioning the diagnosis and treatment model from 'passive treatment' to 'active intervention,'" she said.

She added that "islet autoantibodies are the decisive indicator for early screening of T1D, detectable in most tertiary hospitals," enabling families to identify risks sooner and manage the condition over time.

Early intervention can also help slow disease progression. Chen Xiaochun, head nurse of the endocrinology department at the Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, said early screening provides families with a "buffer period" to learn disease management, adapt routines and gradually build emotional and social support systems.

"The fact that the disease is screenable and intervenable is the cornerstone of building a friendly society and the constant direction of clinical efforts," she said.

To coincide with World Diabetes Day, a short documentary titled A Chance to Change Lifewas released, featuring real-life family experiences and calling for broader public awareness.

Industry partners also expressed their support for strengthening early detection. Oxana Monge, general manager of GenMed China at Sanofi, said the company aims to contribute to a T1D-friendly environment by promoting early screening and building a diagnostic and treatment ecosystem.

She added that Sanofi's "Kids & Diabetes in Schools" program, launched in China last year, works with teachers and students on diabetes prevention and management, provides psychological support to families and fosters a friendly school environment, benefiting more than 11,000 children and caregivers in more than 10 provinces and cities.