COVID – 19 and Diabetes Continued
COVID-19 Telehealth Silver Lining Telehealth for people with diabetes has become a necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic when social distancing, lockdowns, and stay-at-home orders have been implemented to prevent transmission of the virus. These precautions are especially important for people with diabetes to follow because their conditions make them more likely to become severely ill and get more […]
More PDGN News: Are You Busy Enough?
Benjamin Franklin once said: “if you want something done, ask a busy person.” Could you take on a role within the global network to help us to reach out and grow our membership and effectiveness in meeting the challenge of diabetes across the world? You will already be an advocate for the prevention, early diagnosis […]
More PDGN News: Spotlight on Spotlight AQ
CAPTION: Spotlight AQ founder, Professor Katherine Barnard-Kelly PhD PDGN and Spotlight AQ have teamed up for an event at this year’s Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES) Conference, 4th August, in Houston. Spotlight AQ’s Professor Katherine Barnard-Kelly PhD and PDGN Secretary General Adrian Sanders will be running a session on reducing health inequalities […]
PDGN in Liverpool
PDGN Secretary General, Adrian Sanders, attended the Diabetes UK Professional Conference in Liverpool where new research was presented that has pinpointed five unique combinations of genes that either help protect people living with obesity and overweight from developing type 2 diabetes, or increase their risk. There were sessions on the issues facing the care of […]
PDGN News: Welcome Thapi
PDGN welcomes Thapi Semenya as our Digital Lead. Thapi is from and based in South Africa, and has been living with diabetes for 17 years. She is passionate about advocacy. Over the years she had built up an audience on social media platforms that she uses to educate about her multiple chronic conditions namely Diabetes, […]
Diabetes Australia
Holding an event in Parliament to offer elected members and their staff a test for diabetes is not a new idea, but it is still highly effective at getting a message across to politicians. This year’s event in Australia was called: “Take Five to do Five Health Checks” and was held at Parliament House in […]
IDF and the WHO
Breaking Barriers for Better Access to Diabetes Care Under the auspices of the World Health Organisation a hybrid event took place in Geneva, during the 76th WHO Assembly and was livestreamed via Zoom. Participants learned about the WHO Global Diabetes Compact potential to unite efforts in preventing diabetes, reducing risks and ensuring equitable and affordable […]
Policy Briefings for Law Makers
This spring, the US-based Diabetes Leadership Council (DLC) delivered policy briefings for federal policymakers in Washington DC, highlighting diabetes community needs through the voice of patients, caregivers and clinicians. Presentations addressed gaps in access and affordability of diabetes treatment and innovation, and the landscape of actionable solutions for the new Congress. In March, DLC […]
Study Suggests CGM Cost Savings
In the study, a long-term health economic analysis was determined using the IQVIA CORE Diabetes Model – which allows the calculation of long-term outcomes, based on the best data currently available – to establish the cost-effectiveness for funding Dexcom rtCGM technology versus testing with finger pricks. The analysis suggests that, compared to finger pricks, use […]
Technology Corner
FDA Approves Bionic Pancreas System. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared the Beta Bionics iLet ACE Pump and the iLet Dosing Decision Software for people six years of age and older with type 1 diabetes. These two devices, along with a compatible FDA-cleared integrated continuous glucose monitor (iCGM), will form a new system called […]
Research News
India Study in India finds socioeconomic inequality in awareness, treatment and control of diabetes among adults. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-29978-y Australia JDRF Australia and the Helmsley Trust have announced a combined additional AUS $12 million towards the continuation of the Environmental Determinants of Islet Autoimmunity (ENDIA) study. https://www.miragenews.com/world-first-childhood-diabetes-study-extended-980714 Denmark A new study published in Diabetologia (the journal of the […]
Food Labelling Success
The US ‘Center for Science in the Public Interest’ is celebrating the introduction of a bill to increase transparency and promote healthy choices through food labels. CAPTION: The Bill will help people manage dozens of medicall conditions such as those who need to be Gluten-free. The Food Labelling Modernization Act 2023 (FLMA) was introduced by Representatives […]
Uganda Symposium
A month earlier, in February, Uganda’s Ministry of Health, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) organised a nutrition symposium in Kampala, focusing on the systems approach for improving nutrition service delivery and outcomes in Uganda. Experiences were shared by nutrition stakeholders with reports on research findings, innovations, and lessons learned from projects. The […]
South Africa Hosts Nutrition Congress
For the first time since the Covid pandemic disruptions, nutrition and dietetic health professionals from Africa and further afield gathered in person for the 2023 Nutrition Congress. Held in West Somerset, Western Cape, the 3-day event was co-hosted by NSSA (Nutrition Society of South Africa) and ADSA (Association for Dietetics in South Africa). At the […]
Study Recommends High Fibre Diets
In a response to the triple-burden of pre-diabetes, diabetes and obesity, diabetologists in India are promoting a high-fibre diet for people with or at risk of diabetes. It is believed that changing nutritional habits have contributed to the rise in obesity and diabetes with a lower intake of fibre and an excess consumption of calories, […]
Parliamentary Friends of Nutrition Group Formed
A Parliamentary Group has been formed in the Australian Parliament to raise awareness of the importance of nutrition for a healthy life, and to highlight the areas of most need for equity, improved access and affordability to high-quality nutrition. The group is Co-Chaired by Senator Helen Polley (Labor) and Bridget Archer MP (Liberal), who have […]
MPS’ Joint Action
A number of UK Members of Parliament from across the political divide have signed a letter warning that health and social care businesses are facing unprecedented pressures as a result of the pandemic, inflation and the effects of leaving the European Union. The signees call on the Government to protect healthcare supply chains, including a […]
Insulin Fears Allayed
Fear that fast-acting insulin ‘Fiasp’ used by approximately 14,000 people with Type 1 diabetes in Australia would be withdrawn have been allayed, at least temporarily. This followed an outcry from patients, politicians and advocacy groups. PDGN highlighted the issue on its social media pages at the time the news broke that the insulins would be […]
Sri Lankan Concerns
Nearly one in four Sri Lankan adults – 23 percent – and one in three adults or 31 percent in the Colombo district had diabetes while another one in three had high blood sugar levels in 2019, according to a large-scale national survey jointly conducted by a number of institutes. Researchers representing several Sri Lankan universities, […]
News in Brief
Real Time CGM Recommended for some type 2 Children In the UK, hundreds of children with type 2 diabetes will be offered the choice of two life changing technologies. Children with type 2 diabetes who currently manage their condition with the ‘burdensome’, ‘tiring’, and ‘stressful’ task of finger prick testing several times a day could […]
Importance of Blood Test Checks in Type 2 Diabetes
The importance of maintaining blood glucose levels within a safe range is vital for people with diabetes. Monitoring devices are crucial in this and evidence from people with type 2 diabetes using a smart blood glucose meter and a mobile app has driven home the importance of such checks. Real-world evidence has shown people with […]
Jamaican Healthy Lifestyle Campaign Launched
With an estimated 236,000 people, or nine per cent of the population with diabetes, a study found that only 106,000 of Jamaicans are aware of their status. These alarming statistics have prompted the Health and Wellness Ministry of Jamaica to announce an initiative to help determine the health status of people through a screening programme. […]
National Plan Delayed by Inflation
Rising out-of-pocket costs for people living with diabetes are hitting hard across the globe. Since 2001, in one country, Diabetes Canada (DC) has tracked the out-of-pocket costs – costs assessed after reimbursement by public insurance programs – of managing type 1 diabetes and added type 2 diabetes in 2003 based on specific composite case studies […]
Sugar Tax Experience
PDGN Vice-President and member of the Moroccan House of Representatives, Dr Mostafa Brahimi, attended the Regional Expert Meeting on Policy Action for Healthy Diets in Dubai, where he shared his country’s experience of soda (SSB) taxes. As a member of the Moroccan Obesity Task Force, he explained how Morocco implemented a sugar tax and the […]
Sugar Tax Battles in Nigeria
The battle rages in Nigeria over sugar taxes as some industry players continue to resist and campaign against them, particularly in developing countries. In Nigeria, the National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR) organisation recently hosted a media event to highlight the significance of healthy food policies such as the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) tax. During the […]
News From Around the World
CGM First Step in NZ The New Zealand medicine-funding agency, Pharmac, announced in February it was seeking competitive commercial offers to fund Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) – the “first step” in the process. Many campaigners inside and outside of Parliament are claiming that the process is taking far too long. According to the Ministry of […]
Close the Gap on Aboriginal Health
The Australian annual Close the Gap Day took place in March and among the many organisations involved, Diabetes Western Australia called for greater recognition of the disproportionate impact of diabetes on aboriginal communities in WA. Aboriginal Western Australians are at far greater risk of diabetes and diabetes-related complications than any other community in the State. […]
Chad Screening Programme
The Government of the Republic of Chad, a large landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa, launched a diabetes, blood pressure, obesity and kidney disease screening campaign in April. Four sites were chosen to screen all age groups free of charge. The Chadian Minister of Health, Dr Abdelmadjid Abderahim (pictured), officially launched […]
Appeal to Religious Scholars
“Religious scholars have great respect within Pakistan society and they are listened to more than anyone else.” Masudur Rehman Kian Health experts in Pakistan have called on religious scholars to raise awareness about the harmful effects of unhealthy food. At a conference held by the Pakistan National Heart Association (Panah), the organisations president, retired Maj […]
UK Closer to One in Ten People with Diabetes
Analysis by Diabetes UK has shown the numbers of people living with diabetes in the United Kingdom has topped five million for the first time. The patient advocacy charity is calling on the UK Government to ensure that national and local health care systems put diabetes at the heart of their plans. Diabetes UK want […]
More PDGN News: Judi’s Journey
PDGN Patron, Judi Moylan AO, has stepped down as the Government Affairs Adviser for Diabetes Australia. She says: “It has been quite an exhilarating journey, for me personally. Although this is the right decision for me, there is a certain sadness in leaving the organisation after so many years. Judi has written a history of […]
BDA Taking Action
Free health screenings, healthy food samples and water were on offer as part of a public open day hosted by the Bermuda Diabetes Association. The charity invited the public to an event marking World Diabetes Day on 14th November, to learn more about the services it provides. A spokeswoman for the Bermuda Diabetes Association said: […]
PDGN News: Successful Symposium Highlights Inequalities
At the International Diabetes Federation Congress in Lisbon, Portugal, PDGN held a symposium looking at the importance of national plans and how they can set targets and help disadvantaged groups access diabetes services. Chaired by former UK Health Minister and PDGN Co-Chair, John Bowis OBE (left), the event first heard from three excellent speakers. The […]
Encouraging Young Advocates
In September and October, the #dedoc° voices scholarship program enabled 50 diabetes advocates from across the globe to attend the EASD and ISPAD conferences, either virtually or on site. The program is designed to empower a new generation of advocates and to ensure that the voice of people living with diabetes is heard at scientific […]
Research News
UK – Children and young adults with down syndrome four times more likely to have diabetes. https://www.miragenews.com/children-and-young-adults-with-down-syndrome-867642 Trial finds that cell therapy slows kidney damage in people with type 2 diabetes. https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/university-of-galway-trial-finds-cell-therapy-slows-kidney-damage-in-people-with-type-2-diabetes-42180628.html US study shows mental health disparities observed in people with diabetes across Europe. https://www.ajmc.com/view/mental-health-disparities-observed-in-people-with-diabetes-across-europe Prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes vary by ethnicity among […]
Delays to SA Food Warning Labels
New draft legislation for warning labels on food is awaiting Parliamentary action in South Africa. Packaged food can be high in sugar, salt and saturated fat – all of which have been directly linked to life-threatening conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Better labelling has been shown to increase the amount of […]
Nutrition News: Is the Mediterranean Diet Best?
An article in USA Today thinks so, although it does recognise that there is no such thing as one diet for the peoples who live around the giant in-land Mediterranean Sea. With twenty-one countries whose shores are lapped by the Med there is a diverse range of foods consumed. But as the article points out […]
African Region Tops WHO Analysis for Undiagnosed Diabetes
Only 46 percent of people living with diabetes in the African region know their status. This raises the risk of severe illness and death, potentially worsening the situation in the region which already has the world’s highest mortality rates due to the disease, a new analysis by World Health Organization (WHO) shows. https://www.afro.who.int/news/african-region-tops-world-undiagnosed-diabetes-who-analysis Advocacy Action: […]
More News From Around the World: Amputation Action
Malta is a country with a population of just over half a million, yet each year around 500 full foot amputations take place. This startling statistic comes from professors Alfred Gatt and Cynthia Formosa in the Department of Podiatry at the University of Malta. They are leading a project, titled ‘The Smart Insole Technology for […]
More News From Around the Globe: Moroccan Success
PDGN Vice-President and Moroccan MP, Dr Mostafa Brahimi reports on his advocacy success with the draft finance law 2023. “After the introduction of the tax on sugary drinks in 2018 and 2019, and thanks to my repetitive interventions and amendments to the 2019, 2020 and 2021 finance laws, we organized a study day between parliament, […]
More News From Around the Globe: Celebrating Advocacy Success
CAPTION: Mr Matt Burnell MP, Mike Wilson OAM, The Hon Mark Butler MP, Senator Marielle Smith, Ms Louise Miller-Frost MP, Senator the Hon Don Farrell, Mr Steve Georganas and T1D advocates. Over the years there have been many advancements in diabetes technology that have helped of people with the condition, especially those living with type […]
DLC Diabetes Champions
The US Diabetes Leadership Council (DLC) has announced Congresswoman Diana DeGette, Senator Susan Collins, and Senator Jeanne Shaheen as its 2022 Diabetes Champions. “Through their leadership of the Diabetes Caucus and Congressional efforts to reduce insulin costs, Congresswoman DeGette, Senators Collins and Shaheen truly demonstrate a commitment to the 37 million Americans living with diabetes,” […]
More News From Around the World
Ugandan Retinopathy Plan Successful advocacy in Uganda has led the Minister for Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng MP to announce a government plan to roll out surgery for diabetic retinopathy to all regional hospitals. Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes, caused by high blood sugar levels damaging the back of the eye (retina). It […]
Asian Americans Increased Heart Risk Missed
Obesity and the associated increased risk for cardiometabolic disease is missed in many Asian Americans. This occurs when using the standard body mass index (BMI) cut-off for obesity. rather than a suggested lower threshold for obesity in Asians, new research in an American Asian population showed. The study showed that the six largest subgroups of […]
News From Around the Globe: Over a million Self-Rationing Insulin in USA
An estimated 1.3 million adults in the one of the world’s wealthiest nations are having to self-ration their insulin doses due to high costs, increasing their risk of complications including kidney damage, blindness and even death. The average for a standard unit of insulin in the US is nearly $100, compared to $12 in Canada, […]
National Plans Adopted in Canada
The Framework for Diabetes led by Sonia Sidhu MP has now been introduced in Parliament by the Federal Minister for Health, Jean-Yves Duclos. He described it as an exciting and welcome development that aims to address the complex condition and rising prevalence of diabetes in Canada. Patient advocacy group, Diabetes Canada, have expressed their thanks […]
More News From Around the World: EU Parliament Call for Diabetes
CAPTION: “Data on diabetes and pre-diabetes is often lacking and we are working to fill this gap,” EU Commissioner Stella Kyriakides Last month, the European Parliament adopted a motion for resolution on the prevention, management and better care of diabetes in the EU, marking World Diabetes Day 2022. 32 million adults are living with diabetes in the […]
News from Around the World: South Africa’s Obesity Costs Typical Across Africa
Obesity-related conditions and their complications across the continent of Africa may add up to nearly 10 percent of all health expenditure. The costs of obesity and associated conditions add hugely to healthcare costs and productivity losses. In turn this adds a large burden on individuals, their families and on governments. Research funded through the University […]
Type One Breakthrough
In the USA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Provention Bio’s immune therapy indicated to delay the onset of presently incurable type 1 diabetes (T1D). Teplizumab, an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody, is the first approved therapy shown to delay the progression to stage 3 T1D for some people at high risk of developing the condition. […]
Indigenous Inequalities Cost Taxpayer Millions
From New Zealand, more evidence is emerging to suggest that the ongoing and unaddressed health inequity for indigenous peoples is costing hundreds of millions of NZ dollars. (1 NZ$ = .64 US$). A new study has revealed that inequity directly cost the NZ health system NZ $39.9 million per year with substantial additional costs from […]