PATIENT & END USER PERSPECTIVE: Beyond the Device: Trust, Challenges and the Human Experience in Combination Products

As a person living with type 1 diabetes, I rely on combination products—an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor (CGM)—to manage my condition every day. These technologies have transformed diabetes care, offering better glucose control, fewer complications, and an improved quality of life. But they are not just devices; they are part of my daily decisions, emotions, and experiences.
In this talk, I will explore what it means to trust a medical device. Trust is not built overnight—it is earned through reliability, accuracy, and usability. What happens when technology evolves faster than patient confidence? How do we navigate the challenges of updates, recalls, or system failures?

Beyond the technical aspects, I will highlight the essential truth: a patient is more than a device. While combination products are powerful tools, they must be designed with the user—the human—at the centre. Patients are not just data points; we have fears, preferences, and unique needs that should shape product development and communication.
By bringing together drugs, devices, diagnostics, and digital health, we have an opportunity to improve lives. But to truly help patients, we must be recognised as partners, not just users.

Daniel Newman, Patient Advocate, UK

Daniel is a multi-award-winning diabetes advocate, podcast host, producer, and patient author who has been living with Type 1 diabetes since 1996. He is the host of the award-winning Talking Type 1 podcast, where people living with different types of diabetes share their personal journeys of life with diabetes.

Daniel served as a patient representative on the committee that recently updated the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines regarding access to glucose sensor diabetes technology. Having seen first hand how diabetes technology has evolved over the years, he now uses it to manage his condition and understands its impact on daily life.

He has worked with NHS England, Diabetes Africa, Roche, and Boehringer Ingelheim to advocate for better diabetes care and ensure the patient experience remains central to decision-making. He is passionate about access to diabetes technology and equity in healthcare.

Daniel was part of The Diabetes Football Community, which won the Unsung Hero QiC award in 2022 and he personally won the People’s QiC Award in 2024 for his contributions to the diabetes community.