less than 50% of type 2 diabetes patients* are achieving target

New worldwide research indicates that, less than 50% of type 2 diabetes patients* are achieving target long-term blood glucose measures (HbA1c)1, and 40% of patients are experiencing diabetes complications2. These results are being announced in support of World Diabetes Day (WDD), an annual campaign run by the International Diabetes Federation. WDD also heralds the beginning of a national search to find 'The Face of Diabetes'.

The Diabetes Impact Survey commissioned by Merck & Co., Inc., known in many countries as Merck Sharp & Dohme, was developed with a steering panel of world-renowned medical, scientific and clinical professionals in the field of diabetes. Key findings include:

- According to the healthcare professionals surveyed, less than 50% of their patients are achieving their target HbA1c goal, a measure of long-term blood glucose control1

- A survey of patients indicated that 40% reported complications associated with their disease2

National Search for 'The Face of Diabetes'

People with diabetes are being asked to send photographs or images of themselves, or what diabetes means to them. Which will be used as a building block to form a mosaic of 'The Face of Diabetes'. Boxes will be placed in a selection of GP surgeries throughout the UK around World Diabetes Day (14th November) for pictures to be posted alongside any personal thoughts they have on living with diabetes. Images and comments can also be emailed, text or uploaded to the following link: http://www.facingdiabetes.co.uk or posted to Facing Diabetes, Merck Sharp & Dohme Ltd, Hertford Road, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, EN11 9BU..

In the last year alone, the UK prevalence of diabetes has significantly increased with over 50,000 newly diagnosed cases. Diabetes now affects over 2,500,000 people in the UK3,4. The long-term consequences of uncontrolled type 2 diabetes are significant, people with type 2 diabetes are more than twice as likely to die prematurely as those without the condition, and one in 10 patients has been hospitalised because of their diabetes in the last 12 months5.

Marc Evans, Consultant Diabetologist, Llandlough Hospital, comments "Diabetes is set to increase. It is predicted that diabetes prevalence will double world-wide, rising to at least 5% by 2010, accounting for 3.07 million people in the UK6. Having type 2 diabetes doubles your risk of developing cardiovascular disease7. More needs to be done to raise the profile of what it means to have diabetes".

MSD are currently sponsoring a Diabetes Experience Survey on Diabetes UK's website: http://www.diabetes.org.uk. The survey aims to find out more about the experiences and views people with Type 2 diabetes have about living with the condition. The survey will run from Wednesday 12 November until 3 December 2008 or until 1,500 online surveys have been completed, whichever the earliest.

About the Diabetes Impact Survey

The Diabetes Impact (Online) Survey, commissioned by Merck & Co., Inc., of Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA, known in many countries as Merck Sharp & Dohme, was developed with a steering panel of world-renowned medical, scientific and clinical professionals in the field of diabetes and includes Professor Anthony Barnett, Diabetologist and Professor of Medicine, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom; Lori Berard, Nurse Manager, Health Sciences Center, Winnipeg, Canada; Professor Stephen Colagiuri, Endocrinologist, University of Sydney, Australia; Professor Dr Ilhan Satman, Diabetologist / Endocrinologist, Istanbul University, Turkey; and Professor Chan Siew Pheng, Endocrinologist, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The survey was designed to assess issues and barriers related to the care of patients with type 2 diabetes and to better understand how these barriers might impact the overall burden of diabetes. For these findings, 866 healthcare professionals and 607 patients receiving treatment for type 2 diabetes across six countries (Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, India and Mexico) were surveyed.