An interesting study of the increase in diabetic patients in the US.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27457618/

"Cost of diabetes drugs skyrockets for Americans
$12.5 billion spent in 2007; newer meds driving increase, researchers say"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27405027/

This is a very interesting article that I can't resist quoting in part:

CHICAGO - Americans with diabetes nearly doubled their spending on drugs for the disease in just six years, with the bill last year climbing to an eye-popping $12.5 billion.

Newer, more costly drugs are driving the increase, said researchers, despite a lack of strong evidence for the new drugs' greater benefits and safety. And there are more people being treated for diabetes.

The new study follows updated treatment advice for Type 2 diabetes, issued last week. In those recommendations, an expert panel told doctors to use older, cheaper drugs first.

And a second study, also out Monday, adds to evidence that metformin — an inexpensive generic used reliably for decades — may prevent deaths from heart disease while the newer, more expensive Avandia didn't show that benefit.[emphasis added]*

"We need to pay attention to this," said Dr. David Nathan, diabetes chief at Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital, who wrote an editorial but wasn't involved in the new studies. "If you can achieve the same glucose control at lower cost and lower side effects, that's what you want to do."^*

The studies, appearing in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine, were both funded by federal grants.

Something to definitely keep in mind:

In the other study, Johns Hopkins University researchers analyzed findings from 40 published trials of diabetes pills that measured heart risks. Compared to other diabetes drugs or placebo, metformin was linked to a lower risk of death from heart problems.^*

A charming little piece: (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24716880/)

Even a thin person can get diabetes
It's the sugar-coated secret of America's fastest-growing disease

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24716880/

This is a really scarry piece...http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24716880/

^{* I failed to site my sources; bad staffing and unintention plagerism on my part..}