Here's some potentially great news for Type 1 diabetics and their families. Well, truth be told, it could be great news for some T1 diabetics, not all. A drug has been devised that comes in tablet form and can be used to combat a particular type of Type 1 diabetes. It's significant because it could have a life-altering impact on those included in this group. Basically, if diagnosed in early infancy, those diabetics could take tablets instead of insulin shots, with all the ouches and hassles that come with it.

Here's how it works: infants diagnosed at under six months of age who experienced a change in the Kir6.2 gene were switched from insulin to sulphonylurea tablets. The success rate was a striking ninety percent. According to a BBC report on the experiments, the tablets target the area affected by the genetic change and help restore insulin secretions to normal. Bottom line? The trials demonstrate the importance of genetics in the development of Type 1 diabetes.