Your Health

Slowing The Spread Of Diabetes

Posted: 8/12/2010

Pharmaceutical research companies are working on a record 235 new medicines to treat diabetes.

(NAPSI) - If you or someone you care about is among the approximately 4,110 new cases of diabetes that the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says are diagnosed every day in America, there may be good news.

Pharmaceutical companies are pumping up the pipeline of medicines devoted to helping victims of diabetes lead healthier lives, according to a report recently released by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). The report shows that today, America's pharmaceutical research companies are working on a record 235 new medicines to help treat diabetes. These are medicines that are now in late-stage development and testing or are currently under final review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Former television child-star Jerry Mathers, who played "the Beaver" in the hit show "Leave it to Beaver," is among the 20 million Americans now living with diabetes. He's also an active advocate in the fight against diabetes who travels the country to raise awareness of the disease, instill people with healthy eating and living habits and urge every American to get regular checkups to help prevent the spread of diabetes.

Diabetes is associated with an increased risk for a number of serious, sometimes life-threatening complications. These conditions include heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, nervous system disease, amputations and complications during pregnancy. For example, according to the American Diabetes Association, adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about two to four times higher than adults without diabetes.

In addition to his work as a fighter for diabetes patients, Mathers is the national spokesperson for the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA), representing more than 475 patient assistance programs helping uninsured and financially struggling patients get the medicines they need free or nearly free. More than 200 PPA programs are directly sponsored by American pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies.

For more information on new medicines, visit www.PhRMA.org. For information about the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, visit www.PPARx.org. For information about diabetes, how to recognize its symptoms, prevent it and treat it, see your doctor and visit the American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at www2.niddk.nih.gov.

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