Hear ye! Hear ye! I have an announcement to make. About 3 months ago, a committee formed to explore the possibility of creating a new conference series for adults with type 1 diabetes. Most conferences are currently geared towards all types of diabetes, but a group of us felt there should be more for the unique challenges that are posed to adults living with type 1.

With that in mind, we are conducting an interest study for the conference. Who would you like to see at the conference? Tell us what is missing from Type 1 diabetes (besides the obvious **cure**). This will help us with programming, as well as securing sponsorships for the event. Besides giving you all you want from the latest and greatest in type 1 diabetes - you have a chance to leave your mark on this revolutionary event. At the end of the survey, there is a question about creating a name for the conference. The committee will choose the winning name. The winner will receive an autographed copy of Know Your Numbers, by Amy Tenderich and Dr. Richard Jackson. The second and third places prizes are a Six Until Me mug and a Diabetes Mine mug, donated by Kerri Morrone and Amy Tenderich.

The survey closes on Friday, September 7, 2007 so don't miss your opportunity to voice your opinion. Take the survey today!!

Eli Lilly is introducing a unique insulin pen named the Memoir. It is the first on the market with a memory device to track doses administered. It is designed for use with Lilly's top-selling insulin, Humalog.

The battery-operated pen uses a computer chip to remember the last 16 insulin doses. And while insulin pens are popular in Europe and Asia, only about 800,000 of the 4 million U.S. diabetics who take injections use a pen-- most use syringes. It won't be too surprising if insurers and patients balk at the $100 sticker price for the pen alone. There is a separate fee for the insulin cartridges. I agree, it's a little pricey. Lilly plans to ignite the marketing campaign by offering a $45 coupon. Good start. This pen has been under development for seven years. Lilly plans to introduce two other pens this year to increase Humalog demand. I've got an idea (since nobody asked, but I was a former user). I traded up to Apidra because I became irate every time Humalog clogged my infusion set for my pump. Go back to the drawing board with that quandary while I'll work on my honey do list for product development.

Neither here nor there - my point is this: Eli Lilly you can be everything you want to be if you listen to your customers. The number of insulin-taking diabetics is rising along with the bar on product ingenuity. It's game day, Eli Lilly. I have more ideas to help bring out your A-game. Stay tuned...