Late last year, Animas wrapped up business. That’s left a lot of people with a lot of questions. And A LOT of misinformation and confusion online.
We sat down with the folks at Animas, Medtronic, and Omnipod to get the facts straight. Read on to find out what you need to know if you’re a current Animas user, or someone who will be making a pumping decision in the next while.
Keep an eye out for blog posts this week to learn more about what options are out there if you’re in the market for a new insulin pump in Canada. We’ll be featuring product options from Medtronic, Omnipod, Dexcom, and Tandem!
Q. CAN I STILL ORDER PUMP SUPPLIES?
Yes. You will be able to order pump supplies for your Animas pump until September 30, 2019. If you are currently looking for Animas supplies, you have a few options:
You can call Medtronic directly at 1.800.284.4416 (Canada) to place your orders. You should feel business as usual!
You can order through the Medtronic e-Shop, by clicking here.
You can order your supplies online through our friends at Diabetes Express (Canada).
You can visit your local pharmacy and have them order Tandem’s luer-lock pump sites (which fit with your Animas pump). Learn more from insulinpumps.ca.
Q. CAN I GET A VACATION LOANER?
Unfortunately, no. Animas vacation loaners are no longer available. This is unfortunate, but there are solutions out there! Of course, we’re all traveling with back up plans that don’t include insulin pumps, right? When traveling, be sure that you know how to convert to Multiple Daily Injections. (Post coming soon that will provide you with instructions that you can work through with your Diabetes team!)
There is also an amazing community out there, with many diabetes drawers that probably contain extra insulin pumps. Be sure to join CIM’s regional facebook groups – chances are you can find someone close by who can help you out!
You can ALSO make the switch over to Medtronic’s 630G system. Keep an eye out for our blog post coming out soon highlighting your options with Medtronic. Remember, if your Animas insulin pump is still under warranty AFTER September 30, 2019 and you make the switch to Medtronic’s 630G BEFORE September 30, 2019, your original pump warranty date still applies. That means, as soon as the warranty on your ANIMAS pump runs out, you’ll qualify again for pump funding through ADP (in Ontario), or your private insurance.
Q. WHAT ABOUT MY INFORMATION BEING PASSED ON TO MEDTRONIC?
Your information was passed on, unless you opted out directly to Animas before November 13, 2017. (If you’re living in Quebec, your information was NOT passed on, unless you opted IN.) If you live anywhere but Quebec and DID NOT opt out, Animas passed on your contact information for the purposes of customer support.If you call in to order new supplies or check in about upgrade options, they’ll be able to look at your file and better help you out.
(Remember, if you are calling in for technical support, you still call the number on the back of your pump. Animas had always contracted a 3rd party for technical support. Medtronic has picked up this contract with the 3rd party. Same number. Same people helping you on the other side until September 30, 2019.)
Q. DID MEDTRONIC BUY ANIMAS?
No. Medtronic did not buy or acquire Animas. J&J was actively looking for a purchaser of Animas since and had high hopes, but unfortunately, no one came forward to buy out the portfolio meaning that Animas would cease to be. Animas, having the patient experience at the forefront of their minds, needed to find a partner who would be able to help transition people on pumps globally to a similar product. Medtronic was a natural partner – They sell pumps globally, allowing them to support Animas users no matter where in the world they are. They have been around for a long, long time. They know what they’re doing.
We asked the Animas team about the transition: “We have selected Medtronic as our partner-of-choice to facilitate a seamless insulin delivery system transition period. One of the reasons we chose Medtronic as our partner-of-choice is because of its strong track record providing outstanding patient care and support. For over 30 years, Medtronic has been a global leader in the treatment of those living with diabetes, and we are confident that they will provide outstanding support to our patients and their care teams.”
Q. WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE A NEW ANIMAS PUMP AND AM STILL UNDER WARRANTY?
If you purchased an insulin pump and it is still under warranty you will be able to receive warranty repairs and replacement as normal until September 30, 2019. YOU MAY NOTICE THAT SERVICE IS SLOWER. Although customer support did move over to fall under Medtronic, Animas users may find that service is slower than they are used to, due to a very limited Animas-trained workforce. You’ll still get what you need until September 30, 2019.
When September 30, 2019 rolls around, you’ll either continue using your pump without warranty services until you are able to purchase a new pump, or you’ll need to look into pumping options. Your pump sites and reservoirs will not be available after this date from Medtronic.
See below for some options that are currently available from Medtronic, Omnipod, Dexcom and Tandem.
Q. WHAT IF MY ANIMAS INSULIN PUMP IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY?
If your Animas Insulin Pump is NOT under warranty, it’s time to start looking for another option. This process is similar to what you would have done even if Animas was an option for pumping today. Check in to find out if you can access any government support program (for example, the Assistive Devices Program in Ontario) or if your private insurance will cover your new pump. You can also contact pump companies directly to get their help with this. See the options below!
STAY TUNED THIS WEEK TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOUR OPTIONS
(or visit the websites below to learn more about the companies in Canada offering insulin pump and continuous glucose monitoring therapy options.)
Disclaimer: Although this is not paid content, Medtronic, Omnipod, Tandem and Dexcom are national partners of Connected in Motion. Our views may be biased because of these partnerships, but we still thought this information was helpful for the community.
