The Best of Times, the Worst of Times: Now Is the Time

Abstract

Editor’s note: This article is adapted from the address of the American Diabetes Association President, Health Care and Education, given in June 2002 at the 62nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions in San Francisco, Calif. This is a remarkable moment in time for diabetes care. We are facing the best of times in many respects, but also the worst of times in some others. During my term as American Diabetes Association (ADA) President, Health Care and Education, I have seen the treatment of diabetes become increasingly sophisticated. Diabetes research has resulted in newer insulins, better insulin delivery systems and self-monitoring of blood glucose, and increased success of pancreas and islet cell transplantation. Recognition is growing by health care providers, legislators, public policy makers, and businessmen that diabetes is a serious disease. Senior public health policy makers, such as Allen Speigel, the director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, are recognizing the cost of diabetes in both human and economic terms and are making diabetes a national priority. Media attention to diabetes is at an all time high. This year, diabetes has been featured as a major story in dozens of publications and programs, including news magazines Time , Newsweek , and U.S. News & World Report ; national newspapers USA Today and The New York Times ; and television news programs on networks such as CNN, NBC, and MSNBC. ADA has also been invited to participate in dozens of press conferences receiving national coverage. A highlight this year has been the announcement of the results of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), which provided very hopeful news that lifestyle change is effective and that type 2 diabetes can be prevented. This spring, we created the term “pre-diabetes” to …