Archive for May, 2007
Starbucks to set a new low fat standard
Filed under: Type 2, Adult Onset, Diet, Lifestyle, Daily News, Products, SupportThe lords of coffee have spoken and they’re saying less fat. Starbucks plans to make all espresso-based drinks with reduced fat milk, switching from whole.
This new standard is planned to take effect by the end of the fiscal year, 2007 and will affect locations in the United States and Canada. The company stated that the new conversion would establish reduced fat milk, also known as 2% milk, as the standard dairy in all beverages served in its North American coffeehouses. Never fear – the company said customers can still request whole milk, but if no request is made, consumers will receive 2%.
The fat trimming decision warrants applause. Starbucks is consciously working healthier choices into their business model for longer living customers willing to pay as much for a venti latte as they would a gallon of gas. I have a few Starbucks gift cards to support my habit. No shame. Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments (Source: The Diabetes Blog)
Original post by The Diabetes Blog
No commentsVehicle for change? novo nordisk’s bus to visit us
Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Events, OpinionDrug giant Novo Nordisk’s big white bus will soon roll into the USA. Officially known as the Novo Nordisk Changing Diabetes Bus, the vehicle is scheduled to visit a selection of towns in the USA between June and November. First, though, it’s the turn of those lucky Canadians. The tour kicked off in Denmark back in September 2006 and goes under the banner “Changing Diabetes.” Since Denmark, the bus and its crew have visited the following countries: Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, South Africa, Australia, China, Japan, and Canada. (Cool job, huh?) The Canada sojourn will last a few more days – ’till June 12, to be exact – then it’s time to cross the border into the US. Last stop is New York City, where the tour will end on November 14, which is World Diabetes Day. Oddly, the Novo “bus” is actually a big truck, at least according to the pics I’m viewing on Novo’s snazzy website. I guess calling it a bus tour makes it sound a tad folksier…more Partridge Family, less soulless pharmaceutical empire? But I digress…The Changing Diabetes Bus tour is touted by Novo as an attitude-altering event with its high-tech educational displays that are housed on board the bus/truck. (See the website for a fun virtual tour of the bus.) A vehicle for change, if you will (yukkity yuk) designed to reach out to everyone: diabetics, their families, healthcare providers, as well as curious Average Joes. The specific purpose, says Novo, is to support the passing of a United Nations resolution on diabetes. Listen, I hate to be catty, but it’s been an awareness-raising event in more ways than one, don’t you agree? It’s been a great promotional venture. An all around image-polishing exercise for Novo too. Hey, that’s not to say this tour has not done good things to educate the public. I mean, it’s good that mega-companies like that put aside money in the budget for feel-good, reach-out-to-the-community stuff. But let’s be honest. Would they have put up the cash if their name wasn’t plastered all over? Probably not.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments (Source: The Diabetes Blog)
Original post by The Diabetes Blog
No commentsAvandia controversy stirs congress to investigate fda
Filed under: Type 2, Adult Onset, Drugs, Research, Daily News
Remember learning about “checks and balances” in U.S. History class? When state leaders gathered in 1787 to draft the Constitution, they established three branches of government (legislative/executive/judicial) to protect individual freedom and prevent government from abusing its own power. Now, Congress is questioning the balance of powers over at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate have called for an investigation into the FDA in the wake of the New England Journal of Medicine study which suggests the popular diabetes medication, Avandia, significantly increases the risk of heart attacks. A House hearing is set for June 6.
Original trials by the drug’s maker, GlaxoSmithKline, revealed twice the rate of ischemic heart disease for patients taking Avandia versus recipients of placebos. The medical reviewer for the FDA initially expressed concern, but determined the risk was more benign following further analysis.
Internally, the FDA has one set of officials who approve drugs and another set who track the safety of drugs after approval. But there is an unequal balance of power between the safety and approval offices. Congressional investigators report the safety group recommended months ago Avandia receive its severest warning. The review group disagreed. Here’s the catch — the reviewers hold more power than the safety officials.
Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa and others in Congress have pushed for a separation of the approval and safety offices, and increased power for the safety group. Just this month, Senator Grassley proposed such a split, but it failed by one vote. House staffers believe the Avandia case re-ignites Senator Grassley’s proposal as the House is soon entering debates to change the drug agency. Here is a previous post covering the Avandia concerns and the full story on the FDA.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments (Source: The Diabetes Blog)
Original post by The Diabetes Blog
No commentsPennsylvania announces diabetes action plan partially funded by cdc
Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Childhood, Adult OnsetGoverner Ed Rendell is worried. An estimated eight percent of Pennsylvanians have diabetes. Nearly 800,000 people. We all know money talks, and what has caught the attention of state politicians is the tremendous cost to manage chronic diseases.
Governor Rendell recently shared that about 78 percent of the state’s health care costs are linked to 20 percent of chronic diseased patients. The Governor has announced The Pennsylvania Diabetes Action Plan to improve how Pennsylvanians with chronic disease benefit from future health care.
In an effort to prepare Pennsylvania to educate the public about diabetes and diabetes prevention, and improve management of the disease to reduce complications, the Plan focuses on four key areas: surveillance, standards of care, health policy, and evaluation.
Truly a collaborative of care, more than 200 stakeholders, agencies, organizations and individuals contributed to the Pennsylvania Diabetes Action Plan. The plan was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a state appropriation.
In 2005, potentially avoidable hospitalizations for diabetics in Pennsylvania cost nearly $730 million. Now that is a number even the Governor cannot ignore.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments (Source: The Diabetes Blog)
Original post by The Diabetes Blog
No commentsPresident Bush Signs Supplemental Military Appropriations Bill With SCHIP Funds
President Bush on Friday signed a $120 billion fiscal year 2007 supplemental appropriations bill (HR 2206) for military operations in Iraq that also includes funding for nonmilitary programs, such as SCHIP, the [click link for full article]
Original post by The Diabetes Blog
No commentsPresidential Candidate Sen. Obama To Unveil Universal Health Coverage Plan
Presidential candidate and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on Tuesday in Iowa City, Iowa, plans to announce a proposal that would expand health insurance to all U.S. residents by the end of his first term, the Des Moines Register reports (Clayworth [1], Des Moines Register, 5/29). [click link for full article]
Original post by The Diabetes Blog
No commentsNearly 90% Of California Parents Support Comprehensive Sex Education In Schools
Eighty-nine percent of California parents — regardless of their political and religious views, level of education and residence — support comprehensive sex education programs in schools, according to the first statewide survey on the subject released on Thursday, the McClatchy/San Jose Mercury News reports. [click link for full article]
Original post by The Diabetes Blog
No commentsThe charges against mr. universe are dropped
Good news! The SF Chronicle reports that charges against Mr. Universe related to a hypoglycemic episode have been dropped.
According to the story, “prosecutors initially insisted Burns needed to provide more medical evidence that he was a Type I diabetic suffering from insulin shock at the time. “ Come on! A history of Type 1 diabetes, taking insulin, and ER documentation of a glucose of 29…I’d say that pretty much cinches the diagnosis.
I hope the end result of this fiasco is that the San Mateo police get a lesson from the local American Diabetes Association Leadership Council on manifestations of low blood sugar. How about it guys?
Pat Salber, MD (Source: The Doctor Weighs In)
Original post by The Doctor Weighs In
No commentsOnly 100% Smoke-free Environments Adequately Protect From Dangers Of Second-hand Smoke
The World Health Organization (WHO) signalled the urgent need for countries to make all indoor public places and workplaces 100% smoke-free with the release of its new policy recommendations on protection from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke in advance of World No Tobacco Day (31 May), which focuses this year on this theme. “The evidence is clear, there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke,” said the WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan. [click link for full article]
Original post by The Diabetes Blog
No commentsMothers With Young Children Are Especially Vulnerable To Poor Mental Health
Mental health can take a serious blow among mothers with young children if they lack some basic daily support. Researchers found that poor maternal mental health can result if women lack emotional or hands-on support with parenting, spend what they feel is too much time with a child or have difficulty paying for childcare. Facing one of those obstacles tripled a woman’s risk for poor mental health, while struggling with two or more such obstacles increased the risk 12-fold. [click link for full article]
Original post by Allergy News From Medical News Today
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