The insulin crisis threatens diabetics by 2030



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Illustration of insulin

Illustration of insulin |

Maria Burmistrova / Shutterstock

By the year 2030, about half of the 79 million people worldwide with type 2 diabetes are not expected to have access to insulin.

Insulin is a medicine that millions of people with diabetes need. The problem is that experts are concerned that insulin requirements can not be met in the coming decades.

This estimate was revealed by a study conducted by scientists from Stanford University. They warn about a significant gap in access to insulin, while the diabetes epidemic continues to worsen.

The study, published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, found that the number of people with type 2 diabetes would increase by more than 20% over the next 12 years.

Data from the International Diabetes Federation estimates that the number of patients worldwide will increase from 406 million to 511 million by 2030. The majority of these people live in China (130 million), India (98 million) and in the United States (32 million).

All diabetics do not need insulin. Only 79 million of them will need insulin. However, only half can get the hormone rescue.

"These estimates indicate that current levels of insulin access are very inadequate compared to projected needs," said Dr. Sanjay Basu of Stanford University who led the research.

Particularly in Africa and Asia, additional efforts need to be made to overcome these health problems. "Although the United Nations is committed to treating noncommunicable diseases and ensuring universal access to diabetes medications, insulin is a rare and difficult-to-access disease for patients around the world. "said Dr. Dr. Basu.

At the same time, the number of adults with type 2 diabetes is expected to increase over the next 12 years. This is triggered by aging, urbanization and changes in diet and physical activity.

"Unless the government launches an initiative to make insulin available and affordable, its use will be far from optimal," said Dr. Dit Basu.

Some of these problems are due to the increase in demand and costs that have increased sharply in recent years. In the United States, the price is more and more inaccessible

According to researchers, the price of insulin has soared since the turn of the century. Insulin production is currently controlled by three giant pharmaceutical companies.

The three men were prosecuted in 2017. They were accused of conspiring to deliberately raise prices.

A 2016 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that insulin prices had almost tripled between 2002 and 2013. In fact, there was no indication of an increase in costs badociated with the development of a drug.

Meanwhile Dr. The Reed team of Health Action International, who funded the study, said that better access to insulin was very important. "The government needs to use this information to estimate growing needs," he said. The Guardian.

Dr. Reed added that it had been revealed how many affected people had once again reminded the importance of universal health coverage to improve lives. "This is very urgent, especially because, according to our data, the most important needs are those where the health system is weak and where availability and affordability are bad," he said. .

There are several limitations to this study. First, the projection of the prevalence of type 2 diabetes does not take into account changes in diet and physical activity over time. This means that this disease can have a much bigger or smaller impact in the future.

In addition, the methodology used badumes the relationship between demographic data that forms the basis, treatment goals, and similar complications across the country. Therefore, ignoring some variations between ethnicities.

"This comprehensive badysis explicitly explains various situations," said Gerstein, quoted by Hertzel, Newsweek. Gerstein is a researcher from McMaster University who did not participate in the research.

Gerstein added: "Nonetheless, they rely on mathematical models that, in turn, are based on other mathematical models, and badysts also rely on various badumptions. Future must be examined carefully. "

"Despite this uncertainty, insulin will likely remain an important treatment for type 2 diabetes, so it is necessary to estimate and determine a sufficient global intake," added Gerstein.

"Continuous updates of models such as this one, which combine new data with trends as they grow, can be the most reliable way to ensure their reliability and relevance to health-based care." proofs."

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