For some, access to the latest medical advancements is a challenge.
When those breakthroughs in health technologies aren't accessible, by definition, they're not able to reach their greatest potential to change lives.
As a company steeped in helping people live their best lives, we're working across our business and alongside others to expand access to technology.
Today, we are proud to announce that Abbott — a leader in diabetes care — is the first anchor sponsor of the American Diabetes Association's Health Equity Now initiative to address health disparities for people with diabetes.
Our words are backed by action in the form of a three-year, $5 million commitment to support American Diabetes Association (ADA) advocacy and community-driven activations designed to remove barriers to care while providing greater access to the latest medical technologies and health resources for underserved diabetes populations.
"It's important that people with diabetes in the U.S. have access to the latest innovations to effectively manage their condition and help them thrive. It is time to tear down the systemic barriers that separate us based on zip code, income level, education, color and gender, and it's time that we demand health equity now," said Tracey D. Brown, chief executive officer of the American Diabetes Association.
Data show that compared to white adults, the risk of being diagnosed with diabetes is higher among Black Americans (77%), Latinos (66%), and Asian Americans (18%),1 and 50% of low-income Americans with diabetes have lost some or all income during the pandemic.2 The disparities have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing greater attention to the large gaps within the U.S. healthcare system.
"No matter someone's race, income level or background, quality care and life-changing technologies should be affordable and broadly accessible to all people living with diabetes. Abbott is proud to support the ADA's goal to work toward health equity and to advance access to the latest technologies for people with diabetes, helping them lead healthier, fuller lives with dignity," said Jared Watkin, senior vice president, Diabetes Care, Abbott.
As part of the Health Equity Now effort, the ADA has drafted a Healthcare Bill of Rights. Among them, Abbott is specifically committed to the right of Americans with diabetes to access the latest medical advances: "Medical technologies like continuous glucose monitors, insulin pumps, and artificial pancreases can be instrumental in treating and managing diabetes. Still, many people with diabetes in the lowest income brackets do not have the same access to these life-saving technologies as do higher income peers. The latest advances in diabetes management should be accessible for all who stand to benefit in tandem, communicated in culturally relevant ways, and prioritize the protection of patient data."
Medical technologies can't do the good they were designed for by sitting behind the curtain of exclusivity. It's time to pull back the rope. With the ADA, we are expanding our work to open access and let everyone living with diabetes benefit from the state of the art in care.
1Ying-Ying Meng et al. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Diabetes Care and Impact of Vendor-Based Disease Management Programs. Diabetes Care, May 2016.
2Diabetes and COVID-19: New Data Quantifies Extraordinary Challenges Faced by Americans with Diabetes During Pandemic. Survey by dQ&A and The American Diabetes Association. July 2020.
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