Diabetes

Governor Robert Bentley is calling out fellow Republicans in Alabama's legislature and asking what they would cut if they fail to pass his $300 million tax proposal. His state has some of the nation's highest rates of diabetes and obesity.

Results for the cardiovascular outcomes trial on the SGLT2 inhibitor mark the first time one of the newer diabetes drugs has produced benefits since the FDA began looking closely at these effects. Full data will be presented next month at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

The ITCA 650 device, which delivers tiny doses of exenatide, could be a game changer in solving the problem of medication adherence. An application for FDA approval is expected in the first half of 2016.

Compared with traditional Medicare, relative resource use for those with diabetes or cardiovascular disease is lower in Medicare Advantage, while quality of care is higher.

Assessment of prevalence and specific costs associated with discrete multimorbid mental health disease clusters in adults with diabetes.

The study may lead to more widespread use of the therapy, the lead author said. Coverage has been a challenge despite a declaration of obesity as a disease 2 years ago.

Diabetes is not just an epidemic in the United States; the nonprofit Diabetes UK warned that the disease is swamping the National Health Service with rising costs because not enough emphasis is placed on prevention.

Semaglutide is currently available as an injectible only, but the company is working on a once-daily pill form.

Neighborhoods with more resources that support physical activity and healthy diets were associated with a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, according to findings published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

The study published in Diabetes Care showed that a relatively simple intervention reduced gestational diabetes 39% for women at risk.

Much of care coordination efforts for diabetes entail having the extra personnel to more closely manage patients and their behaviors, which in turn can improve medication adherence, said Paul Ciechanowski, MD, MPH, associate professor at the University of Washington.

The move comes after Sanofi and Regeneron spent $67.5 million to move ahead of the main competitor in the FDA approval process.

Critics of Coke's financial support said its was not transparent until scholars forced its revelation, and that it's a gambit to steer attention away from the role of soda in the nation's epidemic of diabetes and obesity.

Patients in practices where certified diabetes educators were embedded in practices were more likely to have medication adjusted quickly, with better health outcomes.

Natasha Greene, PhD, FNP, BC, found that educating a family member alongside the person with type 2 diabetes mellitus produced better health outcomes than traditional education.

The study presented at the ADA Scientific Sessions found that raising out-of-pocket costs for diabetics with Medicare could reduce adherence and ultimately raise healthcare spending.

Younger patients and those who have been diagnosed less than 5 years are less likely to follow guidelines for regular eye exams, despite the risk of blindness.

The shift in care for those with diabetes is about new payment models and a change in mindset, said the speakers, including Robert A. Gabbay, MD, PhD, of Joslin Diabetes Center.

A matchstick-like device provides continuous delivery of exenatide, producing dramatic reductions in A1C levels.

The study evaluated the 3 new anti-VEGF agents for treatment of a condition that frequently occurs in patients who suffer from diabetes mellitus.

A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that grip strength of young, healthy adults could prove useful in the diagnosis of diabetes and hypertension.

The announced price for alirocumab, the first PCSK9 inhibitor approved for use in the US, was the top story in managed care this week. Also, HHS announced $100 million available to combat substance abuse, and Medicare and Medicaid turn 50 years old.

Measure definitions to estimate the effects of cost sharing on adherence to medications prescribed together (ie, concurrent adherence) are lacking.

Middle-age men especially were more likely to have undiagnosed diabetes if they suffered from erectile dysfunction, according to the study.

The combination involves long-acting insulin and a GLP-1 receptor agonist.

From 2015 AACC: Fingernail clippings could replace blood draws for diabetes tests, and a new biomarker could speed up tests for gestational diabetes.

Health plans and pharmacy benefits managers are expected to scrutinize the FDA approval to ensure that only those patients who truly need the drug get it.Drugmakers say discounts will cause the price to fall below the $14,600 annual wholesale price listed.

The Sanofi and Regeneron therapy, to be marketed as Praluent, was among the most-anticipated FDA approvals of the year. Late-day reports put pricing at $40 a day wholesale, well above estimates, although insurers will seek discounts.

The authors undertook a literature search on treatment intensification in diabetes care to identify relevant research that has been published since 2000.