US Diabetes Deaths Hit 100,000; Experts Warn Disease Is Not Just A Medical Problem

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Advocates With Type 1 Diabetes Testify Before The U.S. Senate Special Committee On Aging During The JDRF 2019 Children's Congress In Washington, DC
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 10: JDRF Youth Delegates walk toward the U.S. Capitol Building before the hearing on Type 1 Diabetes at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on July 10, 2019 in Washington, DC.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, diabetes cost the lives of more than 100,000 Americans in 2021, surpassing the horrific milestone for the second year in a row and prompting demands for federal action.

In 2019, diabetes was the seventh killer disease in the United States that caused the death of mot less than 87,000 individuals. As the COVID-19 pandemic happened, the long-running challenge in addressing the massive health problem worsened due to disruptions in the health care system.

Based on the data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of deaths due to diabetes saw a sharp increase, hitting more than 100,000 deaths in each of the previous two years, as per Reuters' report.

Diabetes-related deaths surged 17% in 2020 and 15% in 2021 compared to the pre-pandemic level in 2019. For Dr. Paul Hsu, an epidemiologist at UCLA's Fielding School of Public Health, the large death numbers are "certainly a cause for alarm."

"Type 2 diabetes itself is relatively preventable, so it's even more tragic that so many deaths are occurring," Dr. Hsu said.

US Should Take a Different Approach in Addressing Diabetes

According to a recent report published by Congress's National Clinical Care Commission, the United States has to take a more holistic approach to prevent more people from developing type 2 diabetes, the most common variant. Moreover, the government must assist those with the illness to avoid developing life-threatening complications.

Over 37 million Americans, or 11% of the population, have diabetes, and one in every three Americans may develop the chronic condition in their lifetime if current trends continue.

The National Diabetes Statistics Report of the CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation indicates that Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are becoming more common among teenagers. Meanwhile, racial and ethnic minorities continue to have higher rates of Type 2 diabetes. Similarly, older people are more likely to suffer a chronic disease including diabetes, per CDC report.

"Diabetes in the U.S. cannot simply be viewed as a medical or health care problem, but also must be addressed as a societal problem that cuts across many sectors, including food, housing, commerce, transportation, and the environment," the National Clinical Care Commission wrote in its report to Congress and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) submitted on January 5.

Medicines Made More Affordable

One Gallup study released in September found that 18 million Americans were unable to afford one medication prescribed by a physician in the last three months, which contributed to the increasing cases of diseases such as diabetes.

To help address the situation, billionaire Mark Cuban has initiated an online drug store for generic drugs that offer medications at lower prices compared to traditional retailers.

The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company says it will offer more affordable medications for consumers by bypassing "middlemen" in the health care industry. Although the drugstore does not accept health insurance, it says that its prices are still lower than what consumers would purchase at a pharmacy, per NPR.

There are presently 100 generic medications available on the online pharmacy to treat various ailments, including diabetes.

The pharmacy said that it offers metformin, a diabetes medicine, for $3.90 for a 30-day supply, compared to a retail price of $20 in other distributors.