American Diabetes Association releases year-in-review for 2010

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The American Diabetes Association on Tuesday released its year-in-review for 2010 regarding progress being made in the diabetes field.

The organization reported that among the achievements this year was $600 million secured by Congress through a two-year reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program, as well as a total of $34.1 million in funds that were made available by the association to support the broad spectrum of diabetes research. This funding, the American Diabetes Association said, supported 338 awards at more than 125 leading research institutions in the United States, averaging more than five published papers per currently funded investigator.

Another victory for the American Diabetes Association was the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which the organization said will improve diabetics' access to health care and that they "no longer [will face] discrimination in the insurance market because of their diabetes, and no longer [will] need to worry their insurance will be taken away from them when they need it most."

The bill, the association noted, also offers other ways to assist low- and moderate-income people with diabetes, in addition to a $15 billion fund for wellness and prevention, an authorization of the National Diabetes Prevention Program aimed at those with prediabetes and a requirement targeting menu labeling at chain restaurants.

The complete list can be accessed at Diabetes.org.