Advocate

Since 1997, the Special Diabetes Programs have provided critical funding for diabetes research, prevention, and education at the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These are substantial type 1 diabetes research programs and prevention and treatment programs for Native American communities.

Legislative Update

• Sept. 29, 2009 – H.R. 3668 was introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Mike Castle (R-DE), co-chairs of the House Diabetes Caucus.
• March 3, 2010 – S. 3058 introduced in the Senate by Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Susan Collins (R-ME).
• December 8, 2010 and December 9, 2010 - Thanks to your advocacy, the Special Diabetes Program passed the Senate and House!  Passed as part of the Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act, the reauthorization renews the Special Diabetes Program for two years at the current funding level of $300 million annually.  This is a major victory for people affected by diabetes!  The renewal provides funding for continued development of new drug therapies and effective treatments capable of stopping and reversing diabetic complications; progress in identifying environmental triggers for type 1 diabetes; prevention, wellness and education programs for communities that are the most at-risk of developing type 2 diabetes; and continued research for a cure.

Special Statutory Funding Program for Type 1 Diabetes Research (SDP-Type 1)

SDP-Type 1 is special funding for research on the prevention and cure of type 1 diabetes. It provides researchers the chance they need to carry out long-term research that can have an impact on thousands of lives.

SDP-Type 1 has lead to real advances in many areas of type 1 diabetes research. Demonstrating an excellent return on federal investment, it has yielded advances in drugs and therapies for halting and reversing diabetic complications.

Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI)

SDPI gives Indian health programs and tribal communities the resources and tools they need to both prevent and treat diabetes. American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes among all U.S. racial and ethnic groups – nearly 17%!

SDPI funding has led to demonstrated and continued improvements in diabetes prevention and care in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. These improvements ultimately benefit all people with diabetes.

Funding nearly 400 community-directed programs, local tribes and health programs are provided the opportunity to set priorities that meet the needs of the community, whether it be prevention activities or treatment.

These needed programs help translate the science of diabetes into real-world settings by providing improved care for our patients and prevention efforts that are turning the hope of a diabetes-free future into a reality.

Read about the Special Diabetes Program: Stories of Hope and Progress here!

Read more about Special Diabetes Program in an article featured in Diabetes Forecast here!

Help Stop the Diabetes Epidemic

If current trends continue, one in every three American adults will have diabetes by 2050.

Help us stop diabetes by signing our petition urging your Members of Congress to support critical research and prevention programs today.

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You will receive urgent updates on how you can help stop the diabetes epidemic.

Thank you for taking action!