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Canadian Diabetes Association supports enhanced Provincial coverage for tobacco cessation therapies
St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador (November 8, 2012) – People who live with diabetes and smoke are at an increased risk for life-threatening complications. For this important reason, today, the Canadian Diabetes Association noted its support for public coverage for nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) and tobacco cessation medications for low income residents as a benefit under the Newfoundland & Labrador Prescription Drug Program (NLPDP).
According to the government of Newfoundland and Labrador, more than 800 people in Newfoundland and Labrador die each year from the effects of smoking. Canadians living with diabetes who smoke are three times more likely to have a heart attack than people with diabetes who don’t smoke. As noted within the Association’s 2008 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada, smoking cessation is an important aspect of optimal self-management of diabetes given the relationship between tobacco use and major complications in people living with the disease.
“A person living with diabetes who continues to smoke is much more likely to experience the vascular complications of diabetes such as amputation and heart attack,” said Dr. Jan Hux, Chief Scientific Advisor for the Association. “Quitting smoking is one of the most important things people living with diabetes can do to help prevent or delay the onset of these serious complications.”
“We commend the provincial government for its commitment to preventing and reducing tobacco use. To enhance this commitment, the Association recommends public coverage for smoking cessation aids to support Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, including those living with diabetes as part of a comprehensive approach to treat tobacco addiction,” added Dr. Hux. Currently the NLPDP does not cover NRTs or tobacco cessation medications.
According to findings from the Association’s The Burden of Out of Pocket Costs for Canadians with Diabetes, Newfoundland and Labrador already faces some of the highest out of pocket costs for people living with type 2 diabetes.
“We look forward to continued collaboration with government and our partners in healthcare to help residents achieve improved diabetes management through greater accessibility to diabetes medications, supplies, and services,” explained Hux. “This will not only lead to better health outcomes, but will also help to mitigate the financial impacts on the healthcare system, and the economy as a whole.”
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Diabetes in Canada
Today, more than three million Canadians live with diabetes of which one million live with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. A further 5.4 million Canadians live with prediabetes and nearly 50 per cent of them will go on to develop type 2 diabetes. Nearly one in four Canadians either has diabetes or prediabetes; by 2020, it will be one in three. Prediabetes refers to a condition that, if left unchecked, puts you at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. More than 20 people are diagnosed with diabetes every hour of every day, and the disease can shorten the lives of those affected by five to 15 years. In addition to the human burden of diabetes, the disease also threatens the economic prosperity of our nation as it currently costs our healthcare system $11.7 billion annually – a number that is projected to rise to $16 billion by 2020.
Diabetes in Newfoundland & Labrador
According to findings from the Canadian Diabetes Association’s Newfoundland & Labrador’s Diabetes Cost Model, in 2010 there were 47,000 people, or over nine per cent of the population, diagnosed with diabetes in Newfoundland and Labrador – increasing to more than 73,000, or 14.4 per cent of the population, by 2020. These prevalence rates, which are the highest in the country, do not include people undiagnosed with diabetes, or people living with prediabetes, where blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for an individual to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
About the Canadian Diabetes Association
The Canadian Diabetes Association is a registered charitable organization, leading the fight against diabetes by helping people with diabetes live healthy lives while we work to find a cure. Our professional staff and more than 20,000 volunteers provide education and services to help people in their daily fight against the disease, advocate on behalf of people with diabetes for the opportunity to achieve their highest quality of life, and break ground towards a cure. Please visit www.diabetes.ca , join us on facebook.com/CanadianDiabetesAssociation, follow us on Twitter @DiabetesAssoc, or call 1-800-BANTING (226-8464).
For more information, or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Sherry Calder
Senior Manager, Regional Communications
Canadian Diabetes Association
T: (902) 453-3529
E:
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