Dr. Paul Lacy, 81, diabetes pioneer

ZANESVILLE, Ohio -- Dr. Paul Lacy, 81, who more than 30 years ago discovered an experimental treatment for Type I diabetes, died Tuesday of pulmonary fibrosis.

In the 1970s, Dr. Lacy successfully infused cells from a healthy pancreas into animals with diabetes, a process known as islet transplantation.

Brian Flanagan, a scientist with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which Dr. Lacy helped create, said nearly 500 people outside the United States have undergone variations of the procedure since 2000 and many no longer need insulin shots.

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