For those who have lost loved ones to diabetes, these efforts hold special urgency. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death and the sixth-leading cause of death by disease in the United States. There are 15.7 million people in the United States who have diabetes with approximately 2,200 new cases diagnosed each day. However, simple preventative and treatment measures can protect those who suffer from diabetes from the more serious consequences of the disease. Annual dilated eye exams, routine foot exams, routine dental exams and blood glucose and blood pressure control can prevent serious complications of diabetes.
Regular exercise is also important.
Efforts are also being made at the federal level to combat the spread of this disease. Legislation, which the Congress approved with my strong support, was recently signed into law to provide for a national effort to discover preventive and curative measures for Type I diabetes, including a vaccine. I diabetes at the National Institutes of Health, where individuals will be monitored for ten years or more. These long-term studies will examine the manifestation of diabetes, medical histories, the development of complications and other factors and will provide an invaluable basis for identifying potential environmental triggers for the disease. In addition, the legislation authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in conjunction with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to develop a national database for the collection of data on juvenile diabetes and establishes a loan repayment program for qualified health professionals who agree to conduct research regarding diabetes in children.