Letter from the Editor #501

Hope everyone has had a great start to this week of holiday celebrations. As we look forward to next year we know that diabetes will be a main concern for all of you. With the negotiations over a national healthcare program just beginning there will be lots of concerns for all of us.

A few weeks ago I reported that Medco Health Solutions, the pharmacy benefit manager, was going to study how the genetic makeup of patients affects the efficacy of drugs. Now CVS Caremark has announced it will be partnering with Generation Health to expand pharmacogenomic testing to predict how patients will do on certain medications. When I first read this I thought this was another way to save money, but further research led me to another conclusion. The use of pharmacogenomics could be a great tool for our patients. When a patient comes to your office you could take a blood sample and the DNA from that sample would be placed on a chip that tests for gene variants. This test could identify which patient would get a good response, no response or have serious side effects and could help you and your clinical pharmacist make a proper therapeutic choice. Don’t be surprised to find this affecting your prescribing decisions in the new year.

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Announcements:

The life and legacy of the man who shattered baseball records and racial barriers, but struggled against diabetes — Jackie Robinson. Also, the “All Stars” of diabetes on and off the field; a look at the language of diabetes; and the facts on an important women’s health issue that could be affecting you. Make the most of your dLife and don’t miss an episode: Sundays on CNBC at 7 PM ET, 6 PM CT, and 4 PM PT Catch up on dLife.com.

TCOYD Announces 2010 National Conference Schedule: Click here for Schedule.

 

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We can make a difference!

 

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Check out this week’s “Test Your Diabetes Knowledge” question.

Dave Joffe, Editor-in-chief