The Public Health Agency of Canada announced on Monday nearly $1 million in funding to support Diabetes Canada鈥檚 initiatives across the country.
The funding comes as a global study published last week reported that diabetes cases are expected to soar from 529 million to 1.3 billion worldwide by 2050.
鈥淯nfortunately, we are seeing that kind of progression here in Canada,鈥� Laura Syron, CEO and president of Diabetes Canada, told CTVNews.ca on Tuesday.
Approximately 3.6 million Canadians were living with diabetes from 2019 to 2020 and more than 200,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, according to Health Canada.
Syron explained the $998,450 will be spread out across three years to advance the by bringing partners from across the country to share best practices in their respective health-care systems 鈥� drug coverage, preventative measures, screening.
IS THE HEALTH-CARE SYSTEM READY FOR MORE CASES?
As the number of diabetes cases are projected to skyrocket in Canada and worldwide in the coming years, one question stands out, is the Canadian health-care system ready?
Harpreet Bajaj, endocrinologist and director of late-phase research at LMC Healthcare, told CTVNews.ca the answer is no.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it is ready. Even with the cases that we have, (the system) is being stretched,鈥� he told CTVNews.ca on Tuesday.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have the tools or the manpower.鈥�
Bajaj said to address rising diabetes cases and the fragile health-care system, more digital solutions should be implemented to reduce current limitations.
鈥淲e got to think outside the box, as well, and have more public education on prevention, of all kinds, on social media,鈥� he said.
WHY ARE CASES RISING?
According to Diabetes Canada, Ontario has the most people in the country diagnosed with diabetes at 4.8 million. British Columbia is the second highest with just over 1.6 million, followed by Alberta with nearly 1.3 million cases.
There are a few factors contributing to the rising number of diabetes cases in Canada, from the country's aging population to lifestyle choices and access to healthy food, said Syron.
鈥淗ow can we make sure people who have been diagnosed have the best quality of life if they can鈥檛 afford healthy food? 'Cause food affordability has changed. Or medication or new technology, if that鈥檚 not accessible financially for them,鈥� she said.
Genetics also play a role in diabetes diagnosis. As the country鈥檚 population increases, people who have a healthy lifestyle and eat well can also get diagnosed if they have a hereditary factor.
鈥淚 think there鈥檚 a lot of stigma and misunderstanding about diabetes,鈥� said Syron, who has diabetes and often felt 鈥済uilty or judged鈥� as people think it is just a byproduct of eating habits or lack of movement.
Within the coming months, Diabetes Canada says it will be launching a survey to gauge the population鈥檚 perspective and experience with the disease and address the stereotypes around it.
Then there鈥檚 COVID, added Syron explaining how the pandemic affected both people鈥檚 activity level, and delayed their access to a primary health care provider.
鈥淯nfortunately what we are seeing is people who are much further progressed with their diabetes and miss that window of opportunity (for a doctor) to say, 鈥楬ey you might be pre-diabetic,鈥欌�� she said.
According to Angus Reid data released in 2022, one-third of Canadians aren鈥檛 able to see their doctor within a week, while another 17 per cent have been unable to find a doctor at all despite their efforts. The report also stated more than six million people in Canada don鈥檛 have a family doctor.
Bajaj suggests people take a short online test called to screen themselves at home if they are unable to get blood tests or see a health practitioner.
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE INDUSTRY
In San Diego, California at the 83rd American Diabetes Association conference, Bajaj presents the clinical developments of ICODEC 鈥� an investigational once-weekly basal insulin that could change the status quo of daily doses for diabetic people.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been over 100 years since insulin was discovered in 1920. We鈥檝e come a long way,鈥� he said.
The development, if approved, would reduce a diabetic person鈥檚 scheduled injections from daily to weekly. Bajaj is hoping it will be approved by Health Canada and publicly available by this time next year.
Additionally there has also been a paradigm shift in weight management medicine.
鈥淭here was new research that the ADA presented. Newer pharmacotherapy agents may actually lead to about the same amount of weight loss as bariatric surgery,鈥� said Bajaj.
Some people with type 2 diabetes opt for the weight-loss surgery, however many shy away from it 鈥渂ecause of its permanent and invasive nature,鈥� he explained.
Diabetes is a complex disease and affects multiple parts of the body leading to heart attacks, strokes, kidney diseases, non-traumatic limb amputation and can even cause blindness, according to Bajaj.
The findings from this research are changing diabetes guidelines' priorities and proving, with the right medication in the right patient, there can be added protection against complications of type 2 diabetes, he said.
Correction:
A previous version of this article described the ICODEC as an insulin pump, when it is in fact a basal treatment.
