Federal funding of the Special Diabetes Program is approaching a major crossroads, according to a recent editorial in Tulsa World. Funding for the program first went into effect in 1998 and is set to expire in September 2011.
Under a new bill, which must be passed for funding to continue, $1 billion would be allocated each to Type 1 diabetes research and Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes treatment and prevention programs for Native Americans. Native Americans are disproportionately affected by these diseases compared to the rest of the population. Under the new bill, the funding would continue for five years.
The program, which supports major clinical trials of drugs and treatments as well as preventative programs, has not received an increase in funding in six years.
Nearly 28 million people live with diabetes in the United States. About 90% of those people have Type 2 diabetes. Another 57 million have pre-diabetes, a condition that usually develops into Type 2 diabetes unless major lifestyle and dietary changes are made. The numbers continue to grow at an alarming rate and, if left unchecked, will place unmanageable costs on the local and federal governments.
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