CVS/pharmacy supports American Diabetes Month with education program

WOONSOCKET, R.I. The largest retail pharmacy chain in the country is marking American Diabetes Month by launching a program to educate patients about managing and preventing diabetes.

Collaborating with the American Diabetes Association, CVS/pharmacy has created a free booklet titled “Diabetes: Solutions for Life,” available at all of its 6,300 stores around the country. The booklet includes information about symptoms, risk factors, successful disease management and ways to prevent the disease. It also has coupons providing more than $100 in savings on diabetes products.

“It is important for patients to know that their CVS pharmacist is a resource in the development of their diabetes treatment plan,” CVS/pharmacy vice president for pharmacy professional services Papatya Tankut said. “Our pharmacists are always available to speak with their diabetes patients about over-the-counter medicines and other prescriptions they are taking, and to offer counseling on medication compliance, side effects and potential drug interactions.”

Almost 24 million people in the United States, or nearly 8 percent of the population, has diabetes, while 5.7 million may have it and not know it, and 57 million have pre-diabetes, higher-than-normal blood glucose levels that may lead to diabetes. More than 1 million new cases of the disease were diagnosed last year in people aged 20 and older.