Research on Clinical Care and Preventive Mechanisms of Diabetes

New Delhi, August 13, 2014 – According to report published by International Diabetes Federation (IDF) (the 6th edition of IDF Atlas published in November, 2013) the number of diabetic patients is about 65 million in the country. The data available from the Indian Council of Medical Research, India Diabetes (INDIAB) Study estimates the number to be 62.4 million approximately.

The Indian Council of Medical Research has completed the phase I of ICMR Task Force project entitled, “ICMR-India Diabetes [INDIAB] Study-Phase-I,’ with the aim to (i) determine the national prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and pre-diabetes in India, by estimating the state-wise prevalence of the same and (ii) compare the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes in urban and rural areas across India. In the phase I of the study, the rural and urban settings in three states and one union territory viz., Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Chandigarh have been included.

Further, the Indian Council of Medical Research initiated a multi-centric Task Force project titled “Registry of people with Diabetes in India with Young age at onset background”. All cases of diabetes in the age groups of 25 years or less with fasting plasma glucose >126 mg/dl and/or 2 hr post load plasma glucose >200mg/dl, referred/ non-referred, treated/untreated residing within the assigned geographical area are included who reported after January 1st, 2000. Phase I of the study has been completed. The registry has enrolled 5546 young diabetic patients.

Indian Council of Medical Research has also supported 15 projects to develop indigenous glucometers and glucose testing strips at affordable cost in the country. Among them, the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai and Birla Institute of Technology Science, Pilani (Hyderabad Campus), have developed 2 indigenous devices and testing strips for estimation of blood glucose.

CCI Newswire