Exubera hmm… not good

This article was sent to me by my fellow blogger, Ben who suggested that this might be an interesting article for readers. Seems so:

Pfizer Inc and said on Wednesday clinical trials of the inhaled insulin Exubera found increased cases of lung cancer, leading Nektar to stop seeking a marketing partner for the troubled product and abandon it.

I had hopes for Exubera. Did you?

 

Coffee and Diabetes Type 2

I was in the doctor’s office the other day and happened to pic up an article that said something along the of men who drink more than 6 or 8 cups of coffee per day reduce their risk of contracting type 2. As an avid coffee drinker and apologist, I find that comforting. Question: does anyone have info about this study, perhaps you know the name or have an article? Anything would be appreciated. I want to know more about this.

Glucose Sensing RFID Microchip

Technology keeps moving ahead making life easier for diabetecs. I can’t remember the original source for this snippet but I found it among other bits and pieces in my WordPress draft. I had noticed a while back that a company called Digital Angel announced that the USPTO has granted them a patent for a “syringe-implantable glucose-sensing RFID microchip.”

Checking blood glucose levels regularly is critical to properly managing diabetes. The conventional method – a finger prick – is invasive, painful and often inaccurate. The implantable bio-sensor chip has a passive transponder, glucose sensor and integrated circuitry that allow anyone implanted with the microchip to painlessly scan it to determine their level of glucose concentration. The RFID microchip quickly and accurately transmits the glucose data back to a wireless scanner that displays the glucose level. The RFID microchip is powered by the scanner signal, avoiding the need for a battery in the microchip.

If anyone has more info about this, please feel free to post, thanks.

Home Delivery: 3 Good Reasons

The DiabeticSeniors.com site, a resource for mostly general articles to educate elderly on the basics of Type 2 and some Type 1 stuff, has a bit about the three main reasons one would benefit from home delivery of diabetic supplies. I am undecided about making posts with numbers in the title, but the case for consistency, convenience and proximity of diabetic supplies made here is pretty compelling if you want to have a look and comment.

Medco Snaps up Polymedica

It looks Polymedica of Liberty Medical Supply fame has been acquired by Medco Health Solutions, a giant pharmacy benefit manager co. The press release starts as follows:

Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:MHS), and PolyMedica Corporation (NASDAQ:PLMD) today announced a definitive agreement under which Medco will acquire PolyMedica in an all-cash transaction valued at $53 per share, or $1.5 billion. The combination of America ’s leading advanced pharmacy practice with the leading source for diabetes services and supplies creates the nation’s premier provider of comprehensive diabetes care and treatment.

I’m sure the health blogosphere will be alive with buzz about this. Any thoughts from my fellow WordPressians?

Stabilize Your Blood Sugar

I just found an article in Readers Digest (RD.Com) of all places entitled Stabilize Your Blood Sugar: An Epidemic. It’s nice to hear this preached from a mainstream source instead of the usual diabetes activist types we all seem to be

Whether you already have diabetes, or are overweight, or just want to prevent future health problems, here are 20 ways to make sure your blood sugar and insulin levels are as healthy as can be.

Diabetes Talk Fest

Hi all, this is going on right now…

 Tuesday, December 12 – 9pm est in the DIABETEStalkfest chat room www.diabetestalkfest.com/chat.html we will be having a guest chat with Dr. Aaron Kowalski.

Dr. Aaron Kowalski is a Director of Strategic Research Projects at the JDRF and leads the research efforts of the JDRF Artificial Pancreas Projects, a multi-million dollar initiative aimed at acceleration of progress towards a closed-loop automated insulin-delivery system and diabetes technologies that will improve blood sugar control in people with diabetes.http://diabetestalkfest.com/forum/index.php

Medicare Benefit Cut Hurts Scooter Store

The SCOOTER Store says Cuts to Medicare Mobility Benefit will Restrict Access for Beneficiaries

Price Cuts Will Put Suppliers Out of Business, Cause Lay-offs Throughout the Industry

New Braunfels, TX, October 10, 2006 — The SCOOTER Store announced today that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) decision to cut reimbursements by up to 41% for most power wheelchairs “will be devastating” for senior citizens and people living with physical impairments. Simply put, the CMS decision jeopardizes whether mobility equipment can be provided through Medicare in the future.

“These cuts are devastating and unwarranted,” said Doug Harrison, founder and CEO of The SCOOTER Store, America’s largest supplier of power mobility equipment. “This is a disturbing blow to every senior citizen and person in America living with mobility impairments. We hope CMS is aware that suppliers across the country cannot afford to provide adequate power wheelchairs to Medicare beneficiaries if government reimbursements are cut by up to 41%.”

Mr. Harrison noted that the reimbursement reduction will force many providers out of business and cause significant job losses for suppliers and manufacturers. The CMS decision creates a climate in which durable medical suppliers must shift to other products, leaving senior citizens and Americans with disabilities without a source to obtain power wheelchairs and scooters.

The company also expressed concern that CMS is cutting reimbursements at the same time that it is asking suppliers to expend more resources for accreditation, certification, and new quality standards. Over the past 18 months, CMS has implemented regulations that have made prescribing and providing power mobility to beneficiaries much more onerous for both physicians and suppliers. “If CMS wants to take costs out of the system, they should work with physicians and suppliers to streamline the prescription and documentation process for qualified suppliers,” Mr. Harrison said. “This would allow us to charge less for our products and services.”

Moreover, Mr. Harrison also noted that members of Congress should be concerned that by reducing usage of the mobility benefit, CMS will actually be costing taxpayers significantly more money. CMS says that utilization of the mobility benefit has increased by 2,700% over the last eight years. Studies show that the federal government has saved more than ten billion dollars over the same time period because people with power wheelchairs and scooters are living independently, require less homecare and hospitalization, and visit hospital emergency rooms fewer times due to falls and fall related injuries. The reimbursement cuts will limit any future savings from providing mobility equipment to Medicare beneficiaries.

In total, Mr. Harrison said studies show that among people with identical ailments, those without power wheelchairs and scooters required treatment and care that cost 2 1/2 times the price of mobility equipment. Specifically, Medicare pays $14,000 more per person for beneficiaries with physical impairments who did not receive mobility equipment.

“Unfortunately, CMS appears to be taking a shortsighted approach that is bad for senior citizens, bad for people living with physical impairments and bad for the taxpayers of this country,” Mr. Harrison said. “We hope CMS recognizes power mobility as an essential Medicare benefit. Seniors and disabled Americans should have every right to quality mobility devices to maintain active living within their community and not be forced into institutional settings.”

About The SCOOTER Store

Since 1991, The SCOOTER Store has helped provide freedom and independence to more than 250,000 people with limited mobility. The SCOOTER Store offers a full line of durable medical equipment, including power wheelchairs and scooters, lift, ramps and accessories through 126 locations covering 47 states. The SCOOTER Store has worked with more than 100,000 physicians, providing expertise and quality service to their patients, and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care.

Diabetes Fatigue

 Diabetes Fatigue: When Managing Diabetes Seems Like Too Much

by Vivian L. Brennan

Diabetes is a chronic disease that will need to be managed over the course of a lifetime. Some patients get “diabetes fatigue” or “diabetes burnout” from the stress of having to manage their diabetes every day.

Type 1 diabetes can be managed with exercise, diet, and insulin injections. Type 2 diabetes can sometimes be managed simply with diet and exercise, though sometimes other medications are recommended. Regardless, it can be difficult to constantly measure and regulate what one eats and how one exercises.

It can be the most difficult to keep your diet under control when you are particularly busy. Then it can seem easier to buy processed and package foods that are less healthy but that can sometimes seem more comforting. Fitting in workout times in a busy schedule can also seem daunting. Other times that can also make it difficult to manage diet and exercise are the holidays, such as Christmas, when overindulging is encouraged.

Correct Diabetes Information May Save You From Lots Of Troubles

by Ashish Jain

Diet is the cornerstone of your diabetic treatment; let it not become the headstone! I might sound rude to you for passing on this sort of crude observation, but in the interest of your health and well-being, I feel it as my utmost duty to forewarn you!

It sets the diabetes man thinking-each spoon of liquid that he sips, each ounce of food that he offers to the taste buds-what will be the result when it goes to the stomach? He lives in a state of fear psychosis. Food is the necessary evil for him, for his existence, not a source of enjoyment!

The diabetes man needs to budget his day according to his food requirements. You are advised to take small quantities of food at periodic intervals, than take two heavy meals. Be flexible in this and do it as per yours lifestyle. Don’t take food as a punishment. Enjoy it, every particle of it. It is your food for both-your mind and body!