This process is known as the ‘Edmonton Protocol’.

This process is known as the ‘Edmonton Protocol’.

This process is known as the ‘Edmonton Protocol’.

This process is known as the ‘Edmonton Protocol’.
The first islet cell transplant was undertaken in 1977 and since then there's been continuous research and development in this area.

The islet cell transplantation developed by James Shapiro and Jonathan Lakey in Edmonton, Canada, is a process where islet cells isolated from a donor, pancreases are injected into the liver of patients with Type 1 diabetes. Once in the liver, the cells develop a blood supply and begin producing insulin.
This process is known as the ‘Edmonton Protocol’.

Diabetes UK’s questions and answers on islet cell transplantations answers the questions we frequently get asked about islet cell transplants.

Further research is currently being undertaken into this procedure to make sure it is safe, effective and can be successfully repeated time after time. Diabetes UK is, therefore, helping to coordinate the UK the islet research initiative, which aims to both replicate and develop the ‘Edmonton’ islet transplantation success here in the UK.

It is far too soon to say when and if islet cell transplantations will ever be available on the NHS. Islet cell transplantations may be limited by the amount of money the NHS has available to spend on the procedure, specialist equipment, and staff availability, drug costs (immunosuppression drugs currently need to be taken for the rest of a person’s life if a transplant is successful), and by the availability of donor pancreases.

If Diabetes UK cannot raise the money to carry out the initial research into islet cell transplantation it is unlikely that the NHS will ever be able to offer that type of surgery to people with diabetes. How you can help gives details on supporting Diabetes UK to fund diabetes research, including the islet cell transplantation project.