Drug Duo Speeds Regeneration of Key Cells Lost in Diabetes

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 12, 2020 -- A novel combination of two drugs appeared to spur faster regeneration of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, a preliminary study in mice and human tissue found.

Beta cells are crucial to making insulin, a hormone that's deficient in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Medicare Could Save Billions If Allowed to Negotiate Insulin Prices

TUESDAY, Feb. 4, 2020 -- If you don't need insulin, you probably haven't paid much attention to its skyrocketing cost, but new research shows that exorbitant drug pricing eventually affects everyone.

The study found that in 2017, Medicare spent nearly $8 billion on insulin. The researchers said that if Medicare were allowed to negotiate drug prices like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can, Medicare could save about $4.4 billion just on insulin.

At the Barbershop, a Trim -- and a Diabetes Screening

MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2020 -- Hundreds of black men recently discovered they could get more than a trim at their local barbershops. They were offered diabetes testing, too.

A new study offered customers diabetes screenings at eight New York City barbershops. Among those who took the test, 10 percent learned they had average blood sugar levels that indicated type 2 diabetes. And almost 30% appeared to have prediabetes.

CDC Study Breaks Down Diabetes Risk for Hispanic, Asian Subgroups

FRIDAY, Dec. 20, 2019 -- There are significant differences in rates of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes between subgroups of Hispanic and Asian Americans, a federal government study finds.

Hispanics and Asians represent 23% of the U.S. population and are expected to account for 38% by 2060.

As Diabetes Costs Soar, Many Turn to Black Market for Help

MONDAY, Dec. 9, 2019 -- Skyrocketing prices and insurance limits are driving many people with diabetes to seek medications and supplies from an underground supply chain, a new study found.

"The cost of insulin, which is required in type 1 diabetes and a subset of type 2 diabetes, has increased substantially over the last decade. As the price of insulin rises and insurance premiums and deductibles go up, too, the situation has become untenable," said the study's lead author, Michelle Litchman. She is a nurse practitioner and assistant professor at the University of Utah College of Nursing, in Salt Lake City.

Do Processed Foods Up Your Type 2 Diabetes Risk?

MONDAY, Dec. 16, 2019 -- Store-bought chicken nuggets, jelly donuts and energy bars may taste delicious. But a large, new study warns that the more of these and other highly processed foods you consume, the greater your risk for type 2 diabetes.

Every 10% increase in the amount of "ultra-processed" food translated into a 15% increase in the risk for developing diabetes, according to the French study.