Public health response needed for 6+ million people living with uncontrolled diabetes in the U.S.

Press briefing: Public health response needed now for 6+ million people living with uncontrolled diabetes in the U.S.

Experts outline strategies for refining clinical practice in order to reduce the medical, societal and cost burden of uncontrolled diabetes,
June 3, 8:30 a.m. - Noon

• Why are more than 6 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes still at risk for serious complications due to the uncontrolled blood sugar levels despite recent major developments in diabetes treatment and management strategies?
• Why are national leaders and front-line primary care physicians calling for improvements in intensity and acceleration of alignment around understanding of proven guidelines and therapeutic approaches?
• What are the major challenges facing primary care physicians in managing diabetes?
• What is hemoglobin A1C and why is a hemoglobin A1C<7% important in managing diabetes?
• Prelude to new data to be presented at the American Diabetes Association Annual Scientific Meeting, June 14-17

Experts will address these questions as well as provide findings from their work in diabetes that offer clues to reversing the national epidemic of uncontrolled diabetes in the U.S. at a special science writer's conference sponsored by the New York Academy of Sciences on Tuesday, June 3, 2003 at 2 East 63rd Street, New York, from 8:30 a.m. - noon. A limited number of media will also be able to log on to a special live audio Web cast of the event.

"Diabetes is a serious, chronic and progressive disease affecting six percent of the adult U.S. population, and despite many advances in controlling it, millions of Americans go under- or untreated," said Academy CEO Ellis Rubinstein. "A major goal of this conference is to help improve media understanding of the physiologic processes underlying diabetes and the importance of evidence-based medical approaches that will play a significant role in reversing the epidemic of uncontrolled disease in this country."

The Academy conference speakers will:

• Challenge accepted practices and myths about diabetes therapy, care and lifestyle issues
• Explain why leaders are calling for a public health imperative and alignment around the blood sugar management target of "A1C <7"
• Address the behavioral, cultural, and social impediments to diabetes management
• Introduce participants to the front lines of diabetes, Cleveland, Mississippi, where one primary care physician has turned rampant uncontrol into a practice of success stories
• Describe how primary care as gatekeepers to the nation's diabetes population is responding to the influx of patients to their practices

Speakers include:

• Richard S. Beaser, executive director of Continuing Medical Education, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, Massachusetts
• Stephen Brunton, director of Faculty Development, Stanford Hospital/Columbia University Family Practice Residency Program, Stanford, Connecticut
• Stephen N. Davis, chief, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
• Alan M. Jacobson, professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Scott Nelson, primary care physician, Cleveland, Mississippi

With more than 22,000 members worldwide, the New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, nonprofit organization serving science, technology and society since 1817.

For more information, please contact Fred Moreno, 212/838-0230, x230, moreno@nyas.org

NOTE TO MEDIA:
On-site seating for this conference is limited.
To register, complete the attached registration form or call Jennifer Tang, 212/838.0230, x257 or email Jtang@nyas.org.

An audio Web cast of this event is also available for a limited number of media who pre-register at http://nyas.webex.com.