The announcement by Urgo Medical of the pioneering Explorer study into the efficacy of UrgoStart® Contact for treating diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) is an exciting development in the management of these potentially devastating wounds. Some 2–10% of people with diabetes develop DFUs (International Diabetes Federation, 2012), but despite the high associated mortality there is a dearth of high-quality research to guide treatment (Dumville et al, 2012; Game et al, 2012).