American Diabetes Association criticizes Administration's proposal to flatten Diabetes research and prevention funding in FY08

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The President, Medicine & Science, American Diabetes Association, Larry C. Deeb, MD, issued the following statement in response to the Bush Administration's proposed Fiscal Year 2008 budget, announced today, which would continue to under-fund diabetes research and prevention at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Under the Administration's budget proposal, funding for the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) -- an NIH research division -- would be funded at $1.858 billion, less than a 1 percent increase from the previous fiscal year.

Additionally, funding for CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation (DDT) would be flat-funded at $62.8 million. DDT runs state-based Diabetes Prevention and Control Programs that help those suffering from diabetes better control and manage the disease and help those at risk prevent or delay its onset, but has been unable to keep up with the dramatic growth of the disease.

ADA is urging Congress to increase NIH diabetes research funding by 8 percent and CDC diabetes prevention at DDT by $20.8 million -- one dollar for every American with diabetes.

 "It is very unfortunate that the Bush Administration, as demonstrated by today's budget proposal, has failed to recognize that diabetes is the greatest public health crisis of the first quarter of the 21st century.

The Bush Administration and Congress have not increased the federal resources directed at diabetes in four years, while the disease has grown by nearly 30 percent in that same time period.

Currently, one in ten health care dollars -- and one in four Medicare dollars -- is spent on diabetes and its complications. Without the proper investment in diabetes treatment and prevention, which this budget proposal fails to provide, our health care system will continue to spiral downward.

"The federal government needs to support NIH research toward a cure and improved treatments and strengthen CDC's efforts to prevent and treat diabetes in our communities. Maintaining inadequate funding levels – while diabetes grows at an alarming rate -- is unacceptable. The American Diabetes Association calls on Congress to provide a stronger investment that is required to prevent and treat diabetes," Deeb said.

Diabetes is one of this nation's most prevalent, debilitating, deadly and costly diseases. Nearly 21 million American children and adults live with diabetes, and another 54 million have pre-diabetes.

According to the CDC, one in three Americans -- and one in two minorities -- born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime, if current trends continue. Every year, diabetes contributes to over 224,000 deaths.

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.