China needs national disease awareness program to deal with diabetes crisis

A national disease awareness program is critical to ensuring the widest population benefits from the value of innovative medicines in diabetes, according to a new report from consulting firm Charles River Associates.

China is currently experiencing the world’s largest diabetes epidemic and has more than 114 million people living with the disease. The report draws on research carried out on diabetes care in China under the Diabcare-China study of type 2 diabetes. The study found that more than half the people with diabetes had poor blood glucose control and only half the people had their glycated hemoglobin (an indicator of long-term blood glucose levels) measured in the past 12 months.

Insulin and oral hypoglycemic drugs are included on the Chinese Essential Drugs List (EDL) which means that there are some treatments available. These have brought value to high income countries (HICs) in terms of clinical benefits and reducing health care costs, and wider socio-economic benefits. They also showed clinical benefits in China when used, and show a reduction in lost productivity among diabetics in China.