Diabetes

November 11, 2009 -- As the nation marks American Diabetes Month, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius released a new report today, Preventing and Treating Diabetes: Health Insurance Reform and Diabetes in America. The report comes one day after Sebelius toured the East Manatee Family Healthcare Center in Bradenton, Fla. At the center, Secretary Sebelius held a roundtable discussion with Floridians with diabetes.

“Americans with diabetes are suffering in our current health care system,” Secretary Sebelius said. “Health insurance reform will help ensure these Americans can get the prescription drugs and supplies they need and bring down premiums so all Americans can have high-quality, affordable health insurance.”    » read more »

Proposal Will Reduce the Number of New Diabetes Cases

Washington, D.C. [Nov 5, 2009] – Today, U.S. Senators Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) introduced the Diabetes Prevention Act of 2009, which will reduce the number of new diabetes cases in the United States, resulting in significant health care savings and better health for Americans.

The legislation is being introduced in connection with American Diabetes Month, which is November.

Video of Sen. Franken’s statement of introduction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn8gDPVtkEw    » read more »

Nov. 2, 2009 -- CHICAGO – November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and to mark its start the American Medical Association (AMA) is offering the public easy tips to reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes.

“Diabetes is a serious disease, but it can be controlled and often prevented by maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” said AMA Board Member David O. Barbe, MD. “Eating right, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight all greatly reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes.”    » read more »

October 14, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today applauded a study that shows that people who live in “healthy neighborhoods,” or neighborhoods with safe sidewalks, parks, public transportation and access to fresh fruits and vegetables, are 38 percent less likely to develop diabetes than people who live in less healthy neighborhoods. Diabetes is estimated to account for over $116 billion in medical costs in the U.S. each year.    » read more »

Paris, France - June 8, 2009 – Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) announced today that Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH has purchased from Pfizer the Diabel manufacturing plant in Frankfurt-Höchst, Germany, one of the largest state-of-the-art insulin manufacturing plants in the world.

Sanofi-aventis is exercising its step-in right regarding a purchase contract signed between Pfizer and Mannkind in March 2009. The scope of the acquisition includes buildings, equipment, machinery and some existing contracts. This acquistion is valued at 30 million euros.    » read more »

June 7, 2009, London UK -- New Phase II data presented today at the American Diabetes Association 69th Scientific Sessions in New Orleans show that the investigational type 2 diabetes treatment Syncria® (albiglutide) significantly reduced blood glucose levels and provided weight loss across weekly, biweekly and monthly dosing.1 Reducing blood sugar is a key part of managing type 2 diabetes, a disease that affects over 250 million people worldwide.2    » read more »

Application for Part 1 of California's State Stabilization Funds Approved Today

April 17, 2009 -- U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that nearly $4 billion is now available for California under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. This funding will lay the foundation for a generation of education reform and help save hundreds of thousands of teaching jobs at risk of state and local budget cuts. California will be eligible to apply for another $2 billion this fall. Today's funding is being made available per California's successful completion of Part 1 of the State Stabilization Application, which was made available April 1. California is the first state to be approved for the first round of state stabilization funding.    » read more »

New Strategies for Changing Times

April 8, 2009 -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 32nd Annual Diabetes Conference, New Strategies for Changing Times will focus on new strategies for diabetes prevention and control for practitioners, providers, and leaders. The conference is sponsored by the CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation (DDT) and features plenary sessions, various lectures, symposia, oral presentations, roundtable discussions, exhibits, and poster sessions on the latest and most innovative advances in diabetes prevention and initiatives.

Schedule:

Wednesday, April 22, 2009
8:00 a.m. - Welcoming Remarks    » read more »

March 9, 2009 -- EXECUTIVE ORDER

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. Research involving human embryonic stem cells and human non-embryonic stem cells has the potential to lead to better understanding and treatment of many disabling diseases and conditions. Advances over the past decade in this promising scientific field have been encouraging, leading to broad agreement in the scientific community that the research should be supported by Federal funds.    » read more »

(As prepared for delivery)

March 9, 2009 -- Washington, DC -- Today, with the Executive Order I am about to sign, we will bring the change that so many scientists and researchers; doctors and innovators; patients and loved ones have hoped for, and fought for, these past eight years: we will lift the ban on federal funding for promising embryonic stem cell research. We will vigorously support scientists who pursue this research. And we will aim for America to lead the world in the discoveries it one day may yield.    » read more »

Washington, DC -- March 9, 2009 -- Listed below are the individuals who will attend today’s event.

Stage Participants

Energy Secretary Stephen Chu Dr. Peter Agre
Dr. Patricia Bath
Dr. H. Robert Horvitz
Dr. Janet Rowley
Dr. Harold Varmus

Dr. Peter Agre    » read more »

March 9, 2009 -- Today, more than ever before, science holds the key to our survival as a planet and our security and prosperity as a nation. Its time we once again put science at the top of our agenda and worked to restore Americas place as the world leader in science and technology. - President Barack Obama

Today, in conjunction with the issuance of a new Presidential memo on scientific integrity, President Obama is signing a Presidential Executive Order removing barriers to responsible scientific research involving human stem cells.

This Executive Order by President Obama revokes the Executive Order signed by President Bush on June 20, 2007 and the Bush Presidential statement of August 9, 2001 that limited federal funding of research involving human embryonic stem cells.    » read more »

March 9, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Energy Secretary Steven Chu made the following statement regarding President Obama's decision to allow promising stem cell research to go forward under strict ethical guidelines:

“One of the reasons I joined President Obama’s cabinet was his commitment to making decisions on the basis of sound science rather than ideology – a commitment he demonstrated again today with his thoughtful, compassionate decision to allow ethical stem cell research to go forward.    » read more »

Statement on President Obama's Executive Order and Presidential Memorandum By Ralph J. Cicerone, President, National Academy of Sciences, Charles M. Vest, President, National Academy of Engineering and Harvey V. Fineberg, President, Institute of Medicine

March 9, 2008 -- "On behalf of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine, we applaud the orders issued by President Obama today.    » read more »

March 9, 2009 -- Statement of Joseph Heyman, MD, Board Chair, American Medical Association:

"The American Medical Association supports President Obama's decision to lift the ban on federal funding of stem cell research.

"Stem cell research holds great promise to treat diseases that science has so far been unable to cure, and this change in policy will allow researchers to accelerate their efforts by applying for federal research funds.

"The AMA supports biomedical research on stem cells and has encouraged strong public support of federal funding for this research.

"Today's action by President Obama will help scientists realize the potential of stem cell research to benefit the many Americans living with diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's."

Source: AMA