washington d.c. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Senate Diabetes Co-Chairs, applauded the Senate’s passage of their bipartisan resolution recognizing November as American Diabetes Month. The resolution supports the goals and ideals of American Diabetes Month, including raising public awareness of prevention and treatment options and improving education about the risks of developing diabetes. It also recognizes the importance of reducing the incidence of type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes through research, treatment and prevention.
“The groundbreaking discoveries made possible by advances in diabetes research are already improving the lives of millions of Americans with diabetes, while paving the way to a brighter future for Americans with prediabetes,” said Senator Collins. “This resolution recognizes the progress we have made, highlights the need for additional investments in biomedical research, and raises awareness about diabetes during American Diabetes Month. As founder and co-chair of the Senate on Diabetes, I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Shaheen to support federal policies that will help better treat, prevent, and ultimately cure this disease.
“American Diabetes Month is an important reminder that 37 million Americans are currently living with diabetes and many depend on insulin to survive. They are our family, friends and neighbors, and we all owe it to them to take overdue action in Congress to reduce insulin costs so that this life-saving drug is never out of reach,” said Senator Shaheen. “We have made progress in reducing costs, but we are not done yet – Senator Collins and I have long advocated action in the Senate to make comprehensive and meaningful changes to our laws to reduce soaring prices insulin. We are committed to finding a way to achieve this. Lives are literally at stake.”
As Senate Diabetes Co-Chairs, Senators Collins and Shaheen are leading actions in the U.S. Senate to advance priorities that will reduce insulin costs, invest in treatment, and prioritize diabetes research. Together, the Senators led the law on the improvement of guarantees necessary for users of insulin that saves lives now (INSULIN) to bring down the exorbitant prices of insulin. The senators’ bipartisan proposal builds on their years of work to reduce insulin costs, increasing measures to encourage insulin makers to cut list prices, while expanding patient protections that will promote competition. and wider access to desperately needed insulin products.
In the government’s fiscal year 2022 funding bill, Senators Collins and Shaheen supported efforts to include more than $2.2 billion for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to advance diabetes research. They also secured $33.3 million for the National Diabetes Prevention Program, as well as reporting language based on their autonomous legislation to extend Medicare coverage to Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSMT) sessions. Earlier this month, the Diabetes Leadership Council Appointed Senators Collins and Shaheen as 2022 Diabetes Champions.
More than 37 million Americans have diabetes and an estimated 88 million more are at risk of developing the disease.
