February 2009-New Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes Treatment and Prevention Among Most At-Risk Populations

For Immediate Release: Contact: Enid Johnson
February 25, 2009, 12:30 p.m. EST (202) 331-4323 ext. 1011
ejohnson@vancomm.com  

WASHINGTON -The Merck Company Foundation, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health (OMH), today announced the launch of The Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes (Alliance), a new initiative designed to improve health care delivery among those populations most at risk for diabetes, in particular African American, Hispanic, and Native American adults.

Research shows that insufficient health resources, ineffective organization of care, lack of adequate patient education and support, and perceptions about the difficulty of managing or preventing diabetes contribute to disparities in health outcomes. These problems are significantly more acute in low income, disadvantaged communities. To help enhance care and reduce disparities, the Alliance will support proven, comprehensive, community-based, collaborative approaches to diabetes prevention and management. The effort will engage a range of health care stakeholders including patients, providers and health system leaders. It will focus on efforts in five communities across the country, as well as, mobilize allies at the national and state levels.

"The increasing physical and economic impact of inadequate health care that fails to meet the needs of every individual in the U.S. cannot be ignored. The good news is that valuable, community-based programs are providing innovative approaches to reduce the critical gaps in care that exist for many low-income and minority populations," said Richard T. Clark, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Merck & Co., Inc. "Our goal is that the Alliance will become a mobilizing force in these efforts, combining proven interventions into comprehensive approaches that will improve outcomes for those people who are often underserved by current health care delivery models and those who are most at risk for diabetes." (DRAFT quote)

The Alliance was launched at a luncheon for nearly 100 public health officials, highlighting opportunities for collaboration and ways to address equity in care. Speakers showcased ways that culturally relevant outreach and community focused programs can improve patient care and help those most at-risk for complications from diabetes take the necessary actions to manage their condition. Eduardo Sanchez, MD, MPH, vice president and chief medical officer of BlueCross BlueShield of Texas and former Commissioner of the Texas Department of Health, delivered the keynote address, calling on his peers to work together to improve the future health of underserved people across the country.

"There are countless opportunities at the local level to change the course of public health. Our community health centers, our churches - the places where people go for support - are critical avenues for sharing the resources and tools that will inspire people to make lifestyle changes that can prevent or delay diabetes or to help them effectively manage this serious chronic disease," said Sanchez. "We have the power to make this possible, but only working together as health care providers and patients can we change the status quo and ensure that everyone living in America can live a healthy life."

More than 20.8 million Americans are living with diabetes, and African American, Hispanic, and Native American adults are two CHECK THIS FIGURE-I THINK IT IS LOW times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes. While these minority groups have the highest rates of diabetes, evidence indicates that they are also less likely to be insured or have adequate access to local health resources. (need to verify stats)

"We are aware of the challenges communities face in ensuring effective prevention and management of diabetes. Together we can take the steps necessary to make a difference in communities that are most burdened by this deadly disease," said Garth Graham, M.D., MPH, deputy assistant secretary for minority health at DHHS. (draft placeholder quote)

Even when populations in vulnerable communities do have access to care, many receive a lower quality of services than in more affluent areas. As people living with diabetes, these groups experience higher rates of serious complications of diabetes, including cardiovascular disease, blindness, amputation and end-stage renal disease (kidney failure). For example, the death rate from diabetes among Hispanics is 60 percent higher than the death rate for whites and Native Americans are 420 percent more likely to die from diabetes-related causes than other Americans, according to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. African Americans with diabetes are more likely to experience kidney disease and amputations of lower extremities (legs and feet).

"Recognizing the disproportionate burden of diabetes complications and deaths experienced in disadvantaged compared to non-disadvantaged communities, we are committed to eliminating disparities among different groups. Through the Alliance, health organizations and community groups can implement strategies necessary to fight diabetes," said Ann Albright, Ph.D., R.D., director of the Division of Diabetes at CDC. (draft quote as placeholder)

The Merck Company Foundation has committed $15 million to support program efforts through the Alliance to help decrease diabetes disparities and enhance the quality of health care by improving prevention and management services. Funding will support the Alliance's community health partners in Camden, NJ; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Fort Washakie, WY; and Memphis, TN that seek to demonstrate that improvements in health care delivery and focus on patient needs can significantly ameliorate negative health outcomes. Specifically, Alliance efforts include: (bullets below will be modified based on revised grantee profiles)

• assisting the homeless population living with diabetes led by the Camden Citywide Diabetes Collaborative;
• strengthening the ability of community clinics to treat diabetes in South Side Chicago led by the University of Chicago;
• helping physicians develop strategies that promote effective care and management for low-income, minority, uninsured and underserved patients with diabetes in Dallas led by the Health Equity Diabetes Program;
• improving access to diabetes treatment among the Eastern Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Indian Reservation and Northern Arapaho Tribe led by the Reducing Diabetes Disparities in American Indian Communities in Ft. Washakie; and
• generating community support in intervention and outreach through local churches in Memphis led by Diabetes for Life.

Local partners will implement comprehensive diabetes programs over five-years and will offer program components for patients, clinicians and health delivery systems. At the national level the Alliance will disseminate information and undertake collaborative projects aimed at strengthening the efforts of organizations across the country and enlarging the network of stakeholders who share the Alliance's goals.

The Center for Managing Chronic Disease at the University of Michigan will serve as the national program office coordinating Alliance efforts. As the national program office, the Center will encourage innovative work addressing the social, behavioral, environmental and clinical aspects of diabetes control and advocate on behalf of those dedicated to reducing the alarming national disparities in diabetes outcomes.

For more information, visit www.alliancefordiabetes.org

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About The Merck Company Foundation

The Merck Company Foundation is a U.S.-based, private charitable foundation. Established in 1957 by the global research-driven pharmaceutical company Merck & Co., Inc., the Foundation is funded entirely by the Company and is Merck's chief source of funding support to qualified non-profit, charitable organizations. Since its inception, The Merck Company Foundation has contributed more than $524 million to support important initiatives that address societal needs and are consistent with Merck's overall mission to enhance the health and well-being of people around the world. For more information, visit www.merckcompanyfoundation.org.