Recognizing the impact of diabetes

November 14 is World Diabetes Day and November is American Diabetes Month, both dedicated to raising awareness for diabetes care, its prevention and cure. Diabetes affects over 30 million Americans and 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year. In Texas, diabetes is a major problem, affecting 1.8 million people or 13 percent of the total Texas population.

A recent report released by PhRMA and the Analysis Group took an interesting, in-depth look at the pipeline of all medicines currently in development, including treatments for diabetes. The report found that diabetes is among the top two the leading projects in clinical development, with potential first-in-class designations, meaning these treatments represent a new class for treating a medical condition.

America's biopharmaceutical researchers are persistent in their efforts to develop novel therapies to treat this complex and challenging illness and to improve the quality of life for patients. A 2016 report from PhRMA detailed the newest diabetes medicines in development. Today, there are 171 medicines in development for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and diabetes-related conditions, such as chronic kidney disease and diabetic neuropathy. All of these medicines are in clinical trials or awaiting review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The cost of diagnosed diabetes is $245 billion in the United States, and biopharmaceutical researchers are tirelessly working to find new lifesaving and life-changing treatments and cures to address this complex disease and the costs associated with it.

Diabetes in Texas

Diabetes is the 6th leading cause of death in Texas. The projected increase in obesity in Texas from 2006 to 2040 is from 4,776,806 to 14,656,539.Texas diabetes population broken up by racial and ethnic composition in 2010: 45 percent NH White, 38 percent Hispanic or Latino, 11 percent NH Black, 6 percent NH Other. Currently, 124 diabetes clinical tests are seeking patients in Texas.

Diabetes in the U.S

Diabetes was the 7th leading cause of death in the United States in 2015. 9.4 percent of the U.S. population are battling diabetes, 7.2 million of those cases are undiagnosed. It is projected that the number of Americans with diabetes will triple by 2050 if current trends continue. Every 21 seconds another person in the U.S. is diagnosed with diabetes.