On June 21, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee heard testimony on the devastating effects of juvenile diabetes on children and their families.
Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) stated, “Diabetes is a lifelong condition that affects people of every age, race and nationality. Moreover, it is estimated that diabetes accounts for more than $132 billion of our nation’s annual health care costs, and that health spending for people with diabetes is almost double what it could be if they did not have diabetes.” Sen. Collins added, “Early research has shown that stem cells have the potential to develop into insulin-producing cells to replace those that have been destroyed in people with type-1 diabetes. We simply cannot ignore the potential that this research holds for the young people that are with us today.”
Ranking Member Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) stated, “I also look forward to hearing from all of our witnesses today to advise me on legislation I will propose to establish a National Center for Cures within the National Institutes of Health that would help us find cures for diabetes, as well as cures and treatments for diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s and AIDS.” Sen. Lieberman also said, “I believe we need to pull together work already being done in stem cell research, the Human Genome Project and pharmaceuticals.” On the current prospects for research, Sen. Lieberman added, “With all this knowledge and all these technical powers at our disposal, it’s now our duty to live up to the legacy handed to us by generations of discoverers like Salk.”
Testifying on the behalf of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Mary Tyler Moore spoke about life with diabetes: “The difficulties I have experienced are reflected in each of these children who have had their childhood robbed from them and who have been forced to contemplate a difficult and uncertain future that may all too soon include similar complications.” Ms. Moore emphasized the importance of research and added, “Because of federal support and our close collaboration and alignment of goals, together we’ve been able to move promising experimental findings into human clinical trials.” These clinical trials include efforts to halt the autoimmune attack that causes type-1 diabetes; treat the eye, nerve, kidney and vascular disorders of juvenile diabetes; and use growth factors in patients with diabetes to trigger regeneration of insulin-producing cells. “To achieve our goal of a world without diabetes, we must continue to work together as a nation to fund research, craft policies, and take bold actions that enable progress not merely in small steps, but in great leaps and bounds,” she said.
Douglas Wick, a motion picture producer and father to a daughter with juvenile diabetes, spoke about dealing with parental hardships and receiving community support. Mr. Wick described ways the community came together to help his daughter, such as walking for diabetes, setting up lemonade stands, and soliciting donations. “The parents of those friends have not just opened their purses, opened their hearts, but they studied diabetes,” said Mr. Wick. On the future prospects of research, Mr. Wick stated, “Surely, if the might of the federal government, the power of the NIH put their minds on making embryonic stem cell [research] a reality, the same spirit that put a man on the moon could cure our children’s diabetes, and rid the world of so many other dreadful diseases.”
Three-time Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr., who was diagnosed with diabetes at age 25, spoke abut his personal challenges: “I knew I needed to accept the circumstances, and I decided I had the opportunity to do something to educate people about the horrible effects of diabetes and the desperate need for a cure.” Pressing the need for additional funding, Mr. Hall added, “We need more funding from Congress for diabetes research so that researchers can take full advantage of all the scientific opportunities that currently exist that may lead to a cure. In addition, it is extremely important that you help expand the current policy on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.”
Dr. Allen Spiegel, director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) updated the committee on the NIH’s efforts, saying, “We are vigorously pursuing research on type-1 diabetes and its complications. We are gaining insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying disease development, working diligently toward more effective treatment and prevention strategies, and striving for a cure.” Dr. Spiegel highlighted six current goals of diabetes research:
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Dr. Spiegel added, “We continue to be diligent in our fight against diabetes so that we can help all the children in this room and the many other type-1 diabetes patients throughout America whom they represent here today. Improving their quality-of-life—with the ultimate goal of curing their disease—is the driving force behind our efforts.”
The committee also heard testimony from a panel of children from around the country who shared their personal challenges with juvenile diabetes.
