RSTC Endorses DAN/UHMS Diabetes Guidelines

RSTC Endorses DAN/UHMS Diabetes Guidelines

Important new guidelines issued relating to divers with diabetes.

Dr. Guy Dear from Divers Alert Network (DAN) presented the new guidelines for those with diabetes to the RSTC committee at their last meeting in August 2006. These guidelines allow for some individuals with diabetes to dive. DAN has advised diabetics against diving for many years until the mid 1990s when they determined that a percentage of their members were not only diabetic but those with insulin requiring diabetes.

With this information DAN launched a study from 1997 to 1999 to determine the possibility of those with diabetes being able to dive. The finding of that study prompted the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) and DAN to hold a workshop in 2005 with the diving medical experts from around the world to seek formal guidelines for diabetes and diving.

After a thorough overview of the new guidelines RSTC unanimously endorsed the guidelines. RSTC will also work to with the UHMS to add the new information to the current RSTC Medical Guidelines to the Physician.

A copy of the guidelines can be obtained from DAN. You can go to the home page of DAN www.diversalertnetwork.org search for "diabetes" and you will find DAN Divers Alert Network : Medical Research : Diabetes & Diving www.diversalertnetwork.org/research/projects/diabetes/index.asp click on that link and you will find an article about the research. At the end of the article you will find the citation for the complete work shop and also a one page summary of the guidelines.

RSTC consists of International Diving Educators Association (IDEA), Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), Professional Dive Instructors Corporation (PDIC), Scuba Diving International (SDI) Scuba Schools International (SSI) and Young Men¹s Christian Association (YMCA) and meets throughout the year to deal with issues involving training in the scuba industry. RSTC is also the Secretariat for the ANSI Committee Z-375, Scuba Diving Training Standards and Safety.

For additional information on RSTC contact any member organization or contact RSTC at P.O. Box 11083 Jacksonville, FL 32239 or info@wrstc.com.

Please email omnidive@omnidivers.com if you are interested or want additional information.

Diabetes and Recreational Diving: History and New Guidelines

DAN Online Seminars
Diabetes and Recreational Diving: History and New Guidelines

Recognizing that a substantial number of divers diving successfully with diabetes - either openly or surreptitiously - led many in the diving medicine community to believe that was time to acknowledge this fact and reexamine the position that diabetes was a contraindication to diving. In May of 2005 the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) and DAN jointly sponsored a Diving and Diabetes workshop.

This presentation includes the new guidelines for diving with diabetes as recommended by that panel. It is based on a presentation written by Neal W. Pollock, Ph.D. He is a research physiologist at the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Duke University Medical Center and a member of the Research Department at DAN.

This presentation is free to the general public and is based on research paid for by DAN Membership. It should take approximately 45 minutes to complete.


Register and Login to begin the DAN Diabetes and Recreational Diving Seminar.

Please email omnidive@omnidivers.com if you are interested or want additional information associated with the training.

Free DAN Online Seminar Discusses Diabetes and Diving

For years, divers have been diving with diabetes – safely – even though it was considered a contraindication to diving. In May of 2005 the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) and DAN jointly sponsored a workshop on the topic. Co-organizers of the workshop were Guy deL Dear, MB, FRCA; Neal W. Pollock, PhD; and Donna M. Uguccioni, MS.

As dive leaders, and divers interested in diving safety, you are probably interested to learn about the outcome of that workshop. Now you can by viewing the newest DAN Online Seminar called Diabetes and Recreational Diving: History and New Guidelines. It includes useful background information and a summary of the consensus guidelines developed through the workshop. It is based on a presentation written by Neal W. Pollock, Ph.D. He is a research physiologist at the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Duke University Medical Center and a member of the Research Department at DAN.

This is the fourth DAN Online Seminar on diving medicine topics. The first three programs were:

Ears and Diving Seminar by Dr. Frans Cronje president of DAN Southern Africa

Pathophysiology of Decompression Illness by Dr. Richard Moon, Senior Medical Consultant to DAN

Inert Gas Exchange, Bubbles, and Decompression Theory by Dr. Richard Vann, Vice President of Research at DAN

The other three online seminars cost $25 to view. Participants also receive a certificate directly from DAN for successfully completing one of the fee-based seminars.

Thank you for your support of DAN and dive safety. Please do not hesitate to send us any questions or comments.

Safe diving,

Eric Douglas
Director of Training
Divers Alert Network