As part of an international speaker engagement for Sanofi, I spoke at the 83rd FIP World Congress in Copenhagen about new perspectives in Type 1 Diabetes screening. The Pre-Congress Symposium took place in the context of the Br1dge program and was aimed at pharmacists from around the world. The presentation focused on a central question: What role can—and should—pharmacies play in screening and early detection of Type 1 Diabetes?
Detecting Type 1 Diabetes Earlier—Acting Interprofessionally
For a long time, Type 1 Diabetes was primarily considered a childhood disease. However, current studies show that young adults are also affected—and are not infrequently misdiagnosed as Type 2 diabetics. A differentiated understanding of the etiology of Type 1 Diabetes is therefore essential to avoid misdiagnoses and to provide appropriate early support to those affected. A core theme of the presentation was the importance of interprofessional collaboration. Community pharmacists in particular play a special role: they are often low-threshold first points of contact in the healthcare system and maintain close, regular contact with patients. This enables them to make an important contribution—whether through identifying risk constellations, raising awareness of symptoms, or providing targeted referrals to specialized professionals.
Pharmacists as a Bridge in the Healthcare System
The presentation demonstrated that pharmacists can do far more than dispense medications. They can
-
contribute to early identification of at-risk individuals,
-
promote interprofessional communication and support timely referrals,
-
provide evidence-based information and educational materials,
-
and—not least—highlight the need for psychosocial support in cases of positive screening results.
Particularly in the context of islet autoantibody (IAb) screening, it is crucial not to leave those affected alone, but to integrate them into a coordinated care network. Pharmacists can play a connecting role here—between patients, physicians, and other healthcare professionals.
The discussions and questions from the international audience clearly showed that the potential of pharmacies is recognized, but concrete implementation is heavily dependent on country-specific frameworks. Not all services are possible everywhere—making it all the more important to strategically develop structural prerequisites.
A Contribution to the Advancement of Primary Care
In my presentation, I emphasized that innovative screening approaches in Type 1 Diabetes can only be effective if they are conceived and implemented interprofessionally. When properly integrated, pharmacies can be a central component in early detection and support. This topic therefore not only contributes to professional discourse, but also addresses fundamental questions about future healthcare delivery: How can we better utilize existing competencies? How can we strengthen collaboration across professional boundaries? And how can we create structures that enable early, patient-centered, and high-quality care?