Categories

Tag: American Diabetes Association

What’s So Wrong With Randomized Trials?

Screen Shot 2014-09-24 at 7.32.39 PMOften, at scientific conferences, the most important learning happens in the question and answer period.

I spoke at the American Diabetes Association conference earlier this year, presenting results of an observational study we did on medication adherence and diabetes.

We found that if people starting using the online patient portal (sometimes called the personal health record), to order their medication refills, they were more likely to take their medication regularly. Dr. Katherine Newton of Group Health Research Institute spoke before me, describing a randomized study showing that a clinical pharmacist-led blood pressure management program did not lower blood pressure any more than usual care by an outpatient provider.

The first audience comment came from a program officer from the National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. Program officers are incredibly important because they help set the research priorities for the major funding mechanism for medical research. I will never forget her comment, because it was so strongly worded.

Continue reading…

Weighing in on Paula Deen


The huge fuss over Paula Deen’s type 2 diabetes is understandable.   She is, after all, the queen of high-calorie Southern cooking.  And diabetes rates are especially high in the South.

Perhaps less understandable is the reaction of the American Diabetes Association.  As reported in the New York Times,

Heredity, according to the American Diabetes Association, always plays some part. “You can’t just eat your way to Type 2 diabetes,” said Geralyn Spollett, the group’s director of education.

Wrong.  You most definitely can eat your way to type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is closely linked to overweight and obesity.  No, not everyone who is overweight develops type 2 diabetes.  But most people who have type 2 diabetes are overweight.

Continue reading…

fs25 mods