Diabetes Costs Laid Bare – USA

This report of a US Senate hearing on US TV should be seen by every legislator globally to alert them to the rising cost of diabetes and why action on prevention, early diagnosis and reimbursed treatment is so important.

Presented in the US Senate, research by the American Diabetes Association revealed the staggering cost of Diabetes and the toll that it is taking on both the people and the economy. In 2023, £413 billion was spent on treating Diabetes, which is 10% of the country’s current health budget, and 27% more than the cost 6 years ago.

Dr Kasia Lipska emphasised how the rising prices of insulin and diabetes medication are jeopardising the health of people with diabetes, claiming: “We have a food industry that profits from making people sick and a drug industry that profits from treating them.” She demanded legislation holding food and drug industries accountable and ensuring that the prices of medication are affordable for all.

It was also revealed that the number of children with type two diabetes is expected to skyrocket by 700% in the next 4 decades, primarily due to unhealthy food and lifestyle issues. To counter this, Senator Bernie Sanders proposed laws limiting junk food advertising targeted at children, hoping that this will help reduce obesity and prevent T2D in children.

Advocacy Action: Try writing to your elected representative with the link, and follow it up with a call a couple of weeks later to ask if they have seen it and what they think? You may also call on them to hold a similar hearing in your parliament!