Battling Diabetes

Check out this diabetes news item that was released from the American Diabetes Association by John E. Anderson, MD, Chair, ADA Advocacy Committee.

Legislative Updates:Major victory in fight against discrimination

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Unbelievable weather here in the Rockies. Temperatures hovered at 48 degrees. Can snow be far off?

Here’s what’s going on in the world of diabetes…

• September 24-26 is the 4th annual Joslin Under the Stars presented by Walgreens. Whether you are fitness fanatic, an avid golfer, corporate executive or long time Joslin friend; this three-day event has something for everyone. Come celebrate Joslin’s 110 years of excellence. As the world’s preeminent and largest diabetes institution devoted to diabetes research, treatment and education, Joslin is uniquely positioned to lead an extensive international campaign to prevent and cure the disease and its complications.

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I hope you’re having a great weekend, where ever you are in the world. Here in Denver, we are now post Democratic National Convention. There is a nice breeze in the foothills and we have a three-day holiday weekend.

Diabetes Events From Around the World and Coast to Coast:

Enter the Walk in Nick’s Shoes Sweepstakes-Nick Jonas and The Bayer Diabetes W.I.N.S Sweepstakes

Meet Nick in Los Angeles on November 1st

Winners get to meet Nick in L.A. Flights and hotel included. And the opportunity to be part of Team Jonas at the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes. Plus, you’ll receive your own personal diabetes coach for 1 year who will help you simplify your life with diabetes through one-to-one support.

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Hope your weekend is great. Here’s what is going on in the world of diabetes.

The Diabetes Action Team is running to conquer diabetes.

By joining the Diabetes Action Team, you can participate in any event you choose and gain the satisfaction of knowing you did it not just for yourself, but to help prevent, treat, and cure diabetes.

The Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation is committed to the prevention and treatment of diabetes and to the funding of innovative, promising research aimed at finding a cure for diabetes and diabetes related complications.

The focus of The Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation:

• Alternative and complementary research
• Grants for nutritional research
• Promising research to find a cure for diabetes
• Innovative research to prevent and treat diabetes
• American Indian diabetes prevention and treatment programs
• International medical assistance
• Children’s camp scholarship program
• Education and prevention programs

The Diabetes Action Team will be participating in the Marine Corps Marathon October 26, 2008.

The Marine Corps Marathon, or The People’s Marathon, is the 4th largest marathon in the United States. The course moves through Washington, DC, past monuments, the Capitol, and the National Mall, and finishes in front of the Iwo Jima Memorial where a Marine will place your medal around your neck.

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Diabetic clinical trials are an important element of battling diabetes.

What are clinical trials?

Basically a clinical trial is a scientific research involving people, that studies the effects of a new medication, therapy or device to determine if it is safe and effective.

In the United States, clinical trials are monitored by the Food and Drug Administration.

The Phases of a Clinical Trial:

Phase I evaluates dosage parameters.

Phase II continues to evaluate safety and begins to study efficacy.

Phase III compares the new drug with standards of care or if there are none, a placebo.

Phase IV is used if the drug normally used as a standard is to be used for another condition or if the formulation is changed. This phase may also be used for extended studies on drug side effects.

Diabetes clinical trials may involve studies of prevention of diabetes or the treatment of types of diabetes.

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Have you seen My Food Advisor, ADA’s brand-new nutrition tool that takes the guesswork out of carb counting and calculates 21 other nutrients? You can also seek healthier alternatives, search for foods by categories, and browse hundreds of ADA’s recipes.

My Food Advisor highlights:

• Explore 5000 different foods
• Search database by setting your own criteria for carbohydrates and 4 other nutrients
• Search for healthier alternatives
• Easily add up the carb, fat and 20 other nutrients you eat in a day
• Browse recipes or search by criteria that you select
• Save meals & recipes to your personal recipe box

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Qnexa is a new drug targeted at diabetes from VIVUS, currently undergoing clinical trials.

Basically Qnexa is combination of phentermine and an epilepsy drug Topamax (also used for migraines) .

From the VIVUS site:

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There are only four months until World Diabetes Day. Here at Battling Diabetes we will keep you updated on the events leading to this November 14, 2008 event, celebrated world wide to encourage awareness of diabetes. It includes the 200 member organizations of the International Diabetes Federation and 160 countries, all members of the United Nations. The date, November 14, was chosen to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, first conceived the idea which led to the discovery of insulin in 1922.

The logo of World Diabetes Day was adopted in 2007 to mark the passage of the United Nations World Diabetes Day Resolution.

The themes for World Diabetes Day present, past and future include:

2004: Diabetes and Obesity
2005: Diabetes and Foot Care
2006: Diabetes in the Disadvantaged and the Vulnerable
2007-2008: Diabetes in Children and Adolescents
2009-2013: Diabetes Education and Prevention

Global events are already being registered on the World Diabetes site. One in particular is the World Diabetes Day 2008 Monument Challenge.

The World Diabetes Day 2008 Monument Challenge aims to illuminate more than 500 monuments and iconic buildings in blue around the world on November 14. Helping to ‘Bring Diabetes to Light!’

See the map of currently listed monuments, ready to be lit up in blue, including the Empire State Building.

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Diabetes Events and News for the week:

New Game Plan Targets Pre-Diabetics. Check out this news video at CBC Evening News, from July 23. It includes information on diet, exercise and weight loss meds all targeted at the 57 million pre-diabetics in the United States.

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