November is Diabetes Awareness Month-a time to reflect on a disease that affects millions of Canadians and to recognize the scientific advances that have been made in the prevention and to treatment of diabetes in Canada, beginning with the discovery of insulin in 1921.
Despite this life-saving discovery and the ongoing progress that has been made in treating this disease, the burden of diabetes and its related complications on individuals, families, communities, and health care systems is increasing in Canada and around the world.
That is why the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, today announced a joint investment of $20 million to support new research teams across Canada. These teams will work to develop new approaches to preventing, treating, and caring for Canadians living with diabetes. Researchers will also work with patient partners-people with lived experience of diabetes-to ensure that the research being conducted is relevant and valuable to the people that it affects most.
The Government of Canada is providing $14 million of the funding announced today through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The additional $6 million is being provided by JDRF Canada, Diabetes Canada, The Kidney Foundation of Canada, and Fonds de recherche du Québec - Santé. This investment is part of CIHR's 100 Years of Insulin: Accelerating Canadian Discoveries to Defeat Diabetes initiative.
Quotes
"Diabetes continues to be a major health concern for many Canadians - all of us know someone who has had their life profoundly changed by this disease. That is why we must continue to work with partners to invest in research to lessen the burden of diabetes on individuals, families, communities and our health care systems."
The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health
"Research will play an important role in the development and implementation of Canada's national diabetes framework. By funding this research in collaboration with key national and provincial partners, we will help find new ways to prevent and treat diabetes and its complications and swiftly deliver solutions to Canadians."
Sonia Sidhu
Member of Parliament for Brampton South
"CIHR's Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes is pleased to collaborate with national partners to fund impactful new research teams that will build on Canada's strength in diabetes research and advance preventive and therapeutic solutions for people living with diabetes."
Dr. Norman Rosenblum
Scientific Director, CIHR Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes
"JDRF is proud to partner with CIHR to accelerate research into a cure for type 1 diabetes (T1D). This year we commemorate 100 years of insulin, and recognize the need to move beyond insulin therapy for as many as 300,000 Canadians currently living with T1D. This research will reduce the impact and burden on people affected by the disease, and help us achieve our ultimate goal, to give people freedom from T1D. We are grateful to our community and donors for enabling our $3.5 million investment that will be matched by CIHR to help us attain this goal."
Dave Prowten
President and CEO, JDRF Canada
