Practical Screening for Islet Autoantibodies: The Time Has Come

The increasing prevalence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) suggests family physicians will regularly see first-degree relatives of patients with T1D with the genetic propensity for developing T1D. T1D autoantibody screening by family clinicians addresses an important need to identify at-risk individuals early and achieve short- and long-term health benefits. Multiple T1D screening options and programs are available to clinicians that provide patient education, testing, result analysis, follow-up, and opportunity for participation in T1D prevention trials. The provider-patient relationship in family medicine places clinicians in a unique position to provide monitoring and followup crucial to family members with positive autoantibody results.