Before the discovery of insulin, the lives of people with diabetes were short. In 1921, researchers from the University of Toronto made a revolutionary discovery – that of insulin – that changed the treatment of diabetes forever. 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin, the first treatment that was to be life-saving for millions of people around the world.
Lilly was the first company to mass produce and dispose insulin Iletin in 1923. By 1925, Lilly had distributed a total of 217 million insulin units offering hope for life to people with diabetes. To honor this important milestone, the company remembers and is inspired by the life of Leonard Thompson, the first person with diabetes to take insulin in 1922, when he was just 14 years old.
Bearing the title Leonard, the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin is not only about the achievements of the past but also about recognizing the progress made in the development of insulin and other treatments in diabetes in the years that followed.
In the context of the celebration, a major online event was held on November 27th with a digital connection through a platform of Athens and Thessaloniki and with live streaming throughout Greece, which was attended by hundreds of Health Scientists that deal with the treatment of diabetes daily.
The participants were welcomed by Dionysios Filiotis, President and CEO of Pharmaserve-Lilly, stressing the huge importance of the discovery of insulin and its wide availability for the lives of patients, while underlining Pharmaserve-Lilly ‘s commitment to the management of this global scourge.
The opening of the event was declared by Meletios – Athanasios Dimopoulos, Rector of the National Technical University of Athens, Professor of Hematology – Oncology, Director of the Therapeutic Clinic of the Medical School, NKUA (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens).
Addresses were presented by Gerasimos Siasos, Professor of the Third Department of Cardiology of the General Hospital “Sotiria”, President of the medical school of the University of Athens and Kyriakos Anastasiades, Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Director of the Cardiothoracic Surgery clinic of AHEPA hospital, President of the Medical Department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
On behalf of the patients’ associations, the event was welcomed by Christos Daramilas, President of the Panhellenic Federation of Associations of People with Diabetes and Vasiliki Louvari, President of the Hellenic Diabetes Federation.
The event consisted of four thematic units in order for the 23 distinguished scientists, who participated as speakers and presidents, to recall the 100 years of developments and innovation.
The first section was about the “Past” and included a presentation of the scientific milestones that led to the discovery of insulin, the changes in the lives of people with diabetes before and after the release of insulin and the description of the scientific achievements in the treatment of diabetes in the 20th century.
The second session focused on the “Present” with important presentations on the current treatment of type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes, hypoglycaemia as a brake on achieving glycemic regulation in diabetes and its management, as well as modern therapeutic interventions in light of micro – and macro – complications.
The third session was related to the “Future” in the treatment of insulin and other antidiabetic drug therapies, the treatment of diabetes beyond pharmaceutical solutions, the role of Pharmaserve-Lilly in therapeutic developments and the economic dimensions of innovation in diabetes.
The event concluded with the fourth session that attempted to detect “the effect of diabetes on life, on expectations and on art”. Important personalities from the field of diabetes through interviews looked back on these 100 years of development and innovation, sending messages of hope.
Inspired by the story of Leonard who earned his life based on the achievements of science, the company is committed to providing innovative proposals, such as innovative drugs, new technologies and support programs that will fundamentally change the lives of every Leonard, every person with diabetes in the years to come.
Pharmaserve-Lilly finally announced the award of 3 scholarships, namely one scholarship for each of the 3 scientific societies in the field of diabetes, the Hellenic Diabetes Association, the Diabetes Association of Northern Greece and the Hellenic Endocrine Society with evaluation criteria that will also raise the issue of innovation in diabetes.
