Mary Caffrey

Studies presented at the 77th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association show that the combination therapy helps patients with the highest glycated hemoglobin levels gain control quickly.

The study's lead author said that complications from cardiovascular disease remain an unmet clinical challenge in type 2 diabetes.

A light-hearted format for the discussion at the 77th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association still brought out the seriousness of the issue: too many with type 2 diabetes have poor glycemic control, and another medication may not be the answer.

The long-awaited results from CANVAS show a reduced risk of cardiovascular events. The study's lead author said clinicians should balance the significant benefits of the drug against the potential harms for a small number of patients with known risks.

Results presented at the 77th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association are for combinations with ertugliflozin, an investigational SGLT2 inhibitor before FDA.

At a symposium at the 77th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, experts suggested that the relationship between heart failure and diabetes is finally getting the attention it deserves.

The studies are the first to focus on use of PCSK9 inhibitors in patients with diabetes. Alirocumab, sold as Praluent, is expected to report its cardiovascular outcomes trial in early 2018.

No one questions the long-term savings that the Diabetes Prevention Program will bring to Medicare, but getting it off the ground will require several steps that have never been done before, including a new payment model.

With the nation's largest commercial payer on board, the maker of the at-home DNA colon cancer screening test will put more focus on physician education and consumer awareness, with the hope of increasing screening rates for a test that patients find uncomfortable and inconvenient.

The investigational oral therapy, upadacitinib, is a potential competitor for Pfizer's JAK inhibitor, which treats patients who are not responding adequately to DMARDs.

Being isolated due to being overweight can have long-term health consequences, and the study's lead author said reducing stigma should be part of anti-bullying efforts.

While alcohol is known to limit skeletal muscle growth, few studies have looked at the relationship between sarcopenia and problem drinking.

The enzyme that affects the body's ability to process LDL cholesterol was found to be correlated with A1C levels. A symposium on the topic will be part of this weekend's 77th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association.

CMS is giving seniors until September 30, 2017, to request a waiver from all or part of the penalties they face for not enrolling on time for Medicare.

The study said the alternative to BMI offers a better way to measure visceral fat, which poses a greater cardiovascular threat.

The change reflects scientific advances that have converted AIDS from a certain death sentence to a condition that can be managed with proper diagnosis and treatment.

The #Coverage2Control campaign begins a year after the announcement that UnitedHealth would shift most adult type 1 diabetes patients toward Medtronic technology, or require them to pay significant out-of-pocket costs. More significantly, JDRF reports payers are saying they will not fund the artificial pancreas.

US Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) asked why Medicaid did not move earlier to force Mylan to pay what it owed in rebates for the epinephrine injector.

Researchers from the United Kingdom combed studies to figure out which of several indicators, such as body mass index or waist circumference, were predictors of future cardiac events or health conditions, like hypertension or prediabetes.

While regulators long ago saw enough cardiovascular safety data to approve insulin degludec, full trial results will be presented June 12 at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions in San Diego.

Physicians' groups said in a letter they fear seniors will lose or forget to bring the new Medicare cards to appointments, and there is no backup plan for doctors to gain access to the new identification number.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest released the letter proactively after the Trump administration has already eased rules for school lunches and delayed implementation of a labeling rule for restaurants.

Few people have adequate savings for long-term care, and most assume they will care for relatives and rely on family for their own care. A survey from the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found support for family leave policies across members of both parties.

The American Medical Association declared obesity a disease in 2013, but insurers have been slow to cover drugs to treat the disease.

A Senate working group is already crafting an entirely new version of a replacement for the Affordable Care Act. House Speaker Paul Ryan waited on a new CBO score to make sure the American Health Care Act met necessary savings targets to use the budget reconciliation process to undo Obamacare.

The proposed cuts would come just as CMS is gearing up to launch the Diabetes Prevention Program in Medicare starting in January 2018. Diabetes accounts for $1 of every $3 spent in Medicare, and CMS has been looking for ways to slow the number of beneficiaries who develop the disease.

The researchers' hypothesis: improvements in continuous glucose monitoring technology would bring greater quality of life improvements for those with type 1 diabetes, even if they were not using insulin pumps.

The budget bans the use of federal funds for abortion. The White House budget director said it was the first spending plan in some time written "through the eyes of the people who are paying the taxes."

A panel at the Pharmacy Quality Alliance talks about how to take patient input and turn it into meaningful measurement.

The findings come after other data recently showed an overall increase in diabetes incidence among youth, especially minorities.