dLife members show increased use of prescription drugs to treat diabetes

WESTPORT, Conn. Users of a multimedia network for people with diabetes showed an increase in their use of prescription drugs to treat the disease, according to a new study.

Crossix Solutions conducted a study on the prescription drug purchasing habits of people using dLife, finding an increase in use of prescription drugs of 1,600% compared with non-users. Meanwhile, there was a 125% increase in the addition of insulin to current treatment, a 700% increase in test-strip use and 150% and 160% increases in the use of cholesterol and hypertension drugs. At the same time, there was a 50% increase in patients switching from generic to branded drugs.

DLife consists of a Web site, www.dLife.com, the “dLife Diabetes Minute” on XM Satellite Radio and “dLifeTV” on CNBC.

“There are so many who know they should be doing more, but until they find dLife, they don’t know how to get there or can’t find the motivation to start,” dLife founder and CEO Howard Steinberg said in a statement.