This article from Diabetes in Control
is not one I expected. Then when Dr. Robert Ratner, chief scientific
and medical officer for the ADA says, “Many
people with type 2 diabetes who are on medications don't need to do
home glucose monitoring at all,"
Bold is my emphasis. I
must wonder if he is many bricks short of a full load. He sounds a
lot like a doctor I heard of recently that does not use the A1c, but
only the oral glucose tolerance tests for diagnosing patients and
adjusting medications later.
With people like this in positions of
responsibility in the American Diabetes Association, I am not
surprised at the telemarketing scandal that was reported here last year. Why would someone make statements like this? Yes, I can rant
and become angry, but with leaders like this, how can I even respect
the ADA. This even removes hopes that may have been there for help,
when we have leaders that open their mouth and make stupid statements
like this. For what purpose? Are they trying to divert attention
away from something more idiotic someone said or did? Quite
possibly.
Then why do they even make statements
like this, when they pull the rug out from underneath many people
with type 2 diabetes (in the above bold red statement). "For patients
who aren't on insulin, self-monitoring has to be linked to education
on what to do. Patients need guidance on what to do when the numbers
are out of line. Do they need to call their doctor? Change their diet
or take medicine? They have to be taught how to utilize the
information." It seems ridiculous how they can kick
people when they are down and then make something sound so promising.
I think this is “feel good” hype and a way to keep people off
balance while they do nothing.
Maybe the statements were made to
deflect the criticism for ADA partnering with Domino Foods, Inc.
This cannot be a good reflection on the American Diabetes
Association. However, this article appeared on January 15, 2013, and
the earlier statements were written on December 27, 2012. Either
way, the ADA is not living up to doing anything for the patients they
are supposed to serve or even helping the physician members who need
the support. This also reminds me of the activities of the Academy
of Nutrition and Dietetics which is also in bed with the food
industry.
Going back to the last quote in red
above, I am keenly aware of the fact that many patients need to learn
completely on their own how to self-monitor their blood glucose and
interpret what the blood glucose readings mean. This is what I had
to do before I started on insulin and this is something the members
of our group do to help each other whenever needed. Sue has been
very appreciative that we have been very willing to help her in
determining what the different blood glucose readings may mean and
how to learn to determine this for herself. The three new members on
oral medications are asking questions and happy that we are willing
to answer any questions they have. So, for us, the ADA can keep
their “feel good” hype.
Even though none of us within the group
has any of the formal training for diabetes self-management
education, we seem to be doing very well at working with others and
educating them about managing their diabetes. We do become upset
when the leaders of the ADA make statements like the first quote as
these people need the test strips to be able to determine what their
blood glucose readings are to become educated. They need to
understand what happens with their bodies in processing blood glucose
and what different foods can do to their blood glucose levels.
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