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Contact Information:

Prof Parth Narendran
+44 (0)121 414 3006
p.narendran@bham.ac.uk


More information about this study, what is involved and how to take part can be found on the study website.

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Be Part of Research - Trial Details - Screening for type 1 diabetes
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Screening for type 1 diabetes

Not Recruiting

Open to: All Genders

Age: Child

Oxford Nottingham Blackburn London Cambridge Dundee Liverpool Exeter Cardiff Leeds Newcastle Craigavon London Aberdeen Glasgow Southampton Birmingham

Medical Conditions

Type 1 diabetes

This information is provided directly by researchers, and we recognise that it isn't always easy to understand. We are working with researchers to improve the accessibility of this information. In some summaries, you may come across links to external websites. These websites will have more information to help you better understand the study.


Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is the most common form of childhood diabetes. Here, cells that make insulin don’t work as they should. Therefore, to stay alive and avoid the complications of diabetes, children have to monitor their glucose levels and inject insulin to keep the glucose levels within range for the rest of their lives.
Studies have recently shown that some medicines can safely delay children from getting T1D. Many children and parents tell us that these studies are very exciting because it could mean the end to T1D in children.
Other countries are developing surveillance systems to accurately tell which children are at risk of T1D. These children can then be offered participation in prevention studies. Such a system will also prevent children being diagnosed as an emergency. The UK does not have such a system.
However, when we discuss setting up a T1D surveillance system with UK parents, they have different views on whether/how they would take part. No one has previously explored these questions in detail with parents and children and they tell us it is important to do so. We also do not know the best way to recruit large numbers of children into a surveillance programme.
The aim of this study is to develop a system for identifying children within the UK general population who are at risk of developing T1D. Such a system will allow children to take part in clinical trials for the prevention of T1D and help to reduce late diagnosis of T1D and the associated deaths in children. This study will explore three crucial questions:
1. What is the best way to recruit children to an early detection programme?
2. What are the views of parents and children about taking part in an early detection programme?
3. What are the views of doctors, nurses and school staff who will be involved in running an early detection programme?

Start dates may differ between countries and research sites. The research team are responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.  

The recruitment start and end dates are as follows:

01 Nov 2022 30 Aug 2024

What does the study involve?
Over 3 years, this study will test different approaches to recruiting a total of 20,000 children aged 3-13 years to take part in a pilot surveillance programme. These approaches will include:
1. GP practices
2. Online
3. Vaccination programmes
4. Schools
5. National T1D networks
The researchers will ensure different ethnicities and levels of deprivation are represented and explore which recruitment approach(es) works best across all these populations.
Those who agree to participate will be asked to take a finger-prick blood sample from their child to analyse for T1D risk. This simple blood test can tell if a child will develop T1D over the next 15 years. The child will be managed according to the result. This may involve reassurance if the test is negative, and enrolment into a prevention trial or referral to a doctor for insulin treatment if the test is positive.
All parents, regardless of their child’s participation in the blood test, will be interviewed about their views on testing for T1D risk to help us to understand how best to design a surveillance programme and how best to address any barriers to participation. The researchers will also interview doctors, nurses and school staff who may be involved in this study.

What are the benefits and risks of participating?
The immediate benefit is reducing the number of children being diagnosed as a diabetic emergency (DKA). Currently 750 children with T1D in the UK are diagnosed as a DKA and up to three of them will unfortunately not survive. Surveillance programmes reduce this fivefold, and this benefit will be there as soon as the programme starts.
The longer-term benefit will be offering prevention studies to those children found to be at risk of T1D. Some medicines have been shown to safely delay children getting T1D by over 3 years. In the UK, this therapy would delay T1D in 1800 children every year. Parents and children with T1D are very clear that “even one day without insulin injection would be great”. With an estimated cost of £3000 per year for each child with T1D, a 3-year delay equates to an estimated £5.5 million pounds saving a year just for treatment costs. Other medicines are becoming available which need to be tested. We will be able to offer these medicines to explore which is the most effective and whether they can be used together to delay T1D for even longer.
This study has the potential to completely change how we manage T1D in the UK. It is hoped that it will help bring about the beginning of the end of this condition.
It will be the first study to tell us the views of children and parents about taking part in a study of T1D risk, how best to address any problems, and what is the best way to recruit children into the programme. It will also tell us the views of professionals who will be involved in running the programme.
The researchers will use the results of this study to design the most patient-friendly and easy-to-implement programme for children at risk of T1D.
The design of the final implementation programme will depend on the results of this study, but it will likely require the researchers to work with public health. For example, if GP surgeries are found to be a good way to recruit to studies, they will work with Public Health England to explore how GP surgeries can support the national roll-out of the study. With this end in mind, the researchers have already asked people with expertise in public health to be involved in this study.
There are also risks with the study. Firstly, there is the pain associated with a fingerprick blood test and possibly other blood tests if the first fingerprint blood test is positive. These blood tests are minor and at worst may be associated with untoward effects such as fainting or bruising at the site of the blood taking. There is also the risk of anxiety that may come with a positive screening result. If families find this particularly upsetting, the researchers have a number of ways to support them. First, they can offer an intensive education program so families are fully aware of what the future may hold and they are prepared for it. If necessary, they can also refer them to a clinical psychologist who can help talk through the problem and use their experience and techniques to help the families manage their anxiety.

Where is the study run from?
University of Birmingham (UK)

When is the start date?
November 2019 to August 2025

Who is funding the study?
1. Diabetes UK
2. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (UK)

Who is the main contact?
elsa@contacts.bham.ac.uk


Any child between the ages of 3 and 13 years who does not already have T1D

You can take part if:



You may not be able to take part if:


1. Children with a previous diagnosis of T1D2. Children of parents/guardians who are unable/unwilling to consent to participation3. Currently enrolled in any other screening programme for T1D4. Where in the view of the PI, participation is not in the best interests of the child


Below are the locations for where you can take part in the trial. Please note that not all sites may be open.

  • Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
    John Radcliffe Hospital Headley Way Headington
    Oxford
    OX3 9DU
  • Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust - Queen's Medical Centre Campus
    Nottingham University Hospital Derby Road
    Nottingham
    NG7 2UH
  • East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
    Royal Blackburn Hospital Haslingden Road
    Blackburn
    BB2 3HH
  • Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
    Royal Free Hospital Pond Street
    London
    NW3 2QG
  • Addenbrookes
    Addenbrookes Hospital Hills Road
    Cambridge
    CB2 0QQ
  • Tayside Children's Hospital
    Ninewells Hospital
    Dundee
    DD1 9SY
  • Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust ,
    NIHR Alder Hey Clinical Research Facility 1st floor Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust East Prescot Road
    Liverpool
    L14 5AB
  • Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital
    Research and Development Child Health Building Room F6 Barrack Road
    Exeter
    XX2 5DW
  • Children and Young Adults Research Unit
    Noah's Ark Children Hospital for Wales
    Cardiff
    CF14 4XW
  • Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 
    Paediatric Diabetes Team 1st Floor, Multispecialty Unit St James University Hospital Beckett Street
    Leeds
    LS9 7TF
  • Freeman Hospital
    Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Freeman Road High Heaton
    Newcastle
    NE7 7DN 
  • Southern Health and Social Care Trust
    Paediatric Outpatients Daisy Hill Hospital Road Newry County Armagh
    Craigavon
    BT35 8DR
  • The Royal London Hospital
    Barts Health NHS Trust Whitechapel
    London
    E1 1FR
  • Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital
    NHS Grampian Paediatrics Beech House
    Aberdeen
    AB25 2ZG
  • Glasgow Children & Young People's Diabetes Diabetes Service
    West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital Dalnair Street
    Glasgow
    G3 8SI
  • University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
    Tremona Road
    Southampton
    SO16 6YD 
  • Birmingham Children’s Hospital
    Steelhouse Lane
    Birmingham
    B4 6NH

The immediate benefit is reducing the number of children being diagnosed as a diabetic emergency (DKA). Currently 750 children with T1D in the UK are diagnosed as a DKA and up to three of them will unfortunately not survive. Surveillance programmes reduce this fivefold, and this benefit will be there as soon as the programme starts.
The longer-term benefit will be offering prevention studies to those children found to be at risk of T1D. Some medicines have been shown to safely delay children getting T1D by over 3 years. In the UK, this therapy would delay T1D in 1800 children every year. Parents and children with T1D are very clear that “even one day without insulin injection would be great”. With an estimated cost of £3000 per year for each child with T1D, a 3-year delay equates to an estimated £5.5 million pounds saving a year just for treatment costs. Other medicines are becoming available which need to be tested. We will be able to offer these medicines to explore which is the most effective and whether they can be used together to delay T1D for even longer.
This study has the potential to completely change how we manage T1D in the UK. It is hoped that it will help bring about the beginning of the end of this condition.
It will be the first study to tell us the views of children and parents about taking part in a study of T1D risk, how best to address any problems, and what is the best way to recruit children into the programme. It will also tell us the views of professionals who will be involved in running the programme.
The researchers will use the results of this study to design the most patient-friendly and easy-to-implement programme for children at risk of T1D.
The design of the final implementation programme will depend on the results of this study, but it will likely require the researchers to work with public health. For example, if GP surgeries are found to be a good way to recruit to studies, they will work with Public Health England to explore how GP surgeries can support the national roll-out of the study. With this end in mind, the researchers have already asked people with expertise in public health to be involved in this study.
There are also risks with the study. Firstly, there is the pain associated with a fingerprick blood test and possibly other blood tests if the first fingerprint blood test is positive. These blood tests are minor and at worst may be associated with untoward effects such as fainting or bruising at the site of the blood taking. There is also the risk of anxiety that may come with a positive screening result. If families find this particularly upsetting, the researchers have a number of ways to support them. First, they can offer an intensive education program so families are fully aware of what the future may hold and they are prepared for it. If necessary, they can also refer them to a clinical psychologist who can help talk through the problem and use their experience and techniques to help the families manage their anxiety.

Prof Parth Narendran
+44 (0)121 414 3006
p.narendran@bham.ac.uk



More information about this study, what is involved and how to take part can be found on the study website.


The study is sponsored by University of Birmingham and funded by Diabetes UK; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation United Kingdom.




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Read full details for Trial ID: ISRCTN97974414

Or CPMS 52726

Last updated 07 May 2025

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