New York – September 16, 2026 -- A consensus paper published in Diabetologia establishes the first international framework for population-wide screening of type 1 diabetes (T1D), setting concrete age thresholds and testing protocols for clinical adoption.
Nearly 30 global experts define screening ages and intervals
The guidance, convened by Breakthrough T1D and developed by close to 30 international experts, recommends initial autoantibody screening for children aged 2-4 years. Children who test negative should be rescreened at ages 6-8 and again at 10-15, timed to align with routine preventative healthcare visits. Initial positive results require confirmation with a second test before diagnosis is made.
Blood test detects disease years before insulin dependence begins
T1D progresses through defined stages before clinical symptoms appear. A blood test identifying islet autoantibodies can flag the condition long before insulin therapy becomes necessary. Individuals with two or more persistent autoantibodies are classified as stage 1 or 2 T1D and face a high likelihood of progressing to clinical stage 3 disease.
Guidance links early detection to reduced diabetic ketoacidosis risk and trial access
Early identification of autoantibodies is tied to a reduced risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a life-threatening complication that can occur at diagnosis. It also opens access to approved therapies capable of delaying disease progression, including teplizumab, and to clinical trials for disease-modifying treatments. The framework builds on 2024 consensus monitoring guidance previously led by Breakthrough T1D, forming a combined protocol for screening and ongoing monitoring.
Twenty global diabetes societies back the new clinical standard
The consensus carries endorsement from 20 diabetes organizations worldwide, including the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, the International Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes, the Australian Diabetes Association, and national bodies across Belgium, the Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal and France. Anastasia Albanese-O'Neill, Breakthrough T1D's Vice President of Medical Affairs, said the guidance gives healthcare professionals the information needed to begin general population screening in clinical practice.
T1D affects 9.5 million people globally, according to the organization, with adult diagnoses accounting for nearly half of all cases.