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American Diabetes Association launches 'Every 21 Seconds' ad campaign urging immediate Congressional action to fight Diabetes epidemic…"The Clock is Ticking": ADA urges Congressional action, Including increasing research and prevention funding

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In an effort to bring much needed attention to the growing national diabetes epidemic and the need for Congress to take steps to confront the dramatic rise of diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) next week will launch a new, targeted, and powerful advertising campaign.

The series of ads, which target members of Congress and their staff, feature the image of a ticking time bomb and reveals "Every 21 Seconds Another American is Diagnosed with Diabetes. The Clock is Ticking." The ads direct readers to a new Web site -http://www.diabetes.org/21seconds - that outlines specific actions Congress should take to fight diabetes. They include:

* Increasing federal funding for diabetes research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and diabetes treatment and prevention efforts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Budgets for both programs have been cut or remained flat in recent years. ADA strongly urges the 110th Congress to pass a new budget that increases NIH diabetes research funding by 8 percent ($148.4 million) and CDC diabetes prevention at DDT by $20.8 million - one dollar for every American with diabetes.

* Reauthorizing both the Special Diabetes Program for Indians and the Special Diabetes Funding for Type 1 Diabetes, two vital programs set to expire without Congressional reauthorization.rization.

* Passing the "Americans with Disabilities Act Restoration Act," which would help end employment discrimination against Americans with diabetes.diabetes.

* Protecting and expanding diabetes health coverage in private insurance and entitlement programs.

* Passing legislation to expand embryonic stem cell research, which offers great hope for a cure and better treatments for diabetes.

"The 109th Congress failed to provide the leadership necessary to fight the diabetes epidemic - most notably in its substantial under-funding of federal diabetes programs," said Larry Deeb, MD, President, Medicine & Science, American Diabetes Association.

"Every year, diabetes becomes more and more prevalent. As the ads demonstrate, every 21 seconds another American is diagnosed with diabetes. That's why we're urging Congress to join us and take action before it's too late."

Starting January 3, ADA's new month-long advertising campaign will appear in print and online publications - including The New York Times, Washington Post, Congressional Quarterly, The Hill, National Journal, and Roll Call.

Along with the ad featuring a ticking time bomb, another ad features a prosthetic leg with text reading "82,000 Americans Lost a Leg Because of Diabetes Last Year. It's Crippling America." The third ad features a coffin and reads "224,092 Americans Die From Diabetes Related Illnesses Each Year." Ads will also be placed in Metro stations near the U.S. Capitol.

Deeb noted that Congress can take immediate action by increasing the federal investment in diabetes research and prevention. The 109th Congress adjourned in December failing to pass a budget for the new fiscal year (FY2007). This means that federal diabetes research and prevention at NIH and CDC will be funded at the same level as the previous fiscal year.

The Bush administration had proposed cutting diabetes research at NIH by $11 million, and prevention efforts at CDC for the second consecutive year.

The decision of Congress to pass a Continuing Resolution means the Administration's cuts won't be enacted. However, it also means Congress failed to enact the increases for which ADA has advocated and for which Congressional Committees were on the verge of approving.

Diabetes Prevention and Control Programs at CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation help individuals suffering from diabetes to better control and manage the disease. These programs also help those at risk for diabetes to prevent or delay its onset. Unfortunately, current funding levels only allow the Division of Diabetes Translation to provide full support for 28 states. As for NIH, because of budget cuts, cutting edge research has been limited and a number of scientists have been forced to explore alternative sources of funding outside the federal government.

Since 1997, the federal government has directed the Special Diabetes Program for Indians and the Special Statutory Funding Program for Type 1 Diabetes Research. Recent government studies have demonstrated that prevention efforts conducted through the Special Diabetes Program for Indians - including increased physical activity programs in schools, wellness programs, and increased nutrition education - have contributed to significant increases in the availability of diabetes prevention and treatment services, and care for the targeted populations.

Meanwhile, funding for the type 1 research program has led to the establishment of large scale, collaborative research programs that could not otherwise have been initiated. Both programs are set to expire at the end of FY2007, and ADA is urging Congress to reauthorize both programs for five more years, funding each at $200 million per year - $50 million more per year than they are currently funded.

The Association is also urging passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act Restoration Act, important legislation that will help ensure that individuals with diabetes and other serious health conditions are protected against workplace discrimination. Many individuals with diabetes are not protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act as a result of several Supreme Court decisions that have narrowed coverage criteria from the original 1990 legislation. A bill expected to be reintroduced early in 2007 would restore the original intent of that landmark legislation.

For the upcoming year, the Association will be stepping up efforts to ensure that Congress protects the health care needs of individuals with diabetes as well as passes legislation to expand embryonic research.

Diabetes is one of this nation's most prevalent, debilitating, deadly and costly diseases. While nearly 21 million children and adults in the U.S. live with diabetes today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that if present trends continue, one in three Americans - and one in two minorities - born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime. In 2002, one in 10 healthcare dollars went towards diabetes care.

The cost of diabetes in America in 2002 was at least $132 billion.

The American Diabetes Association is the nation's leading voluntary health organization supporting diabetes research, information and advocacy.

The Association's advocacy efforts include helping to combat discrimination against people with diabetes; advocating for the increase of federal diabetes research and programs; and improved access to, and quality of, healthcare for people with diabetes. The Association's mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. Founded in 1940, the Association provides service to hundreds of communities across the country. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit http://www.diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.

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