Led by Dr. Valeria Rac, our Diabetic Retinopathy Screening program collaborated with the Alliance for Healthier Communities and ICES to design a study that used electronic medical records to identify people with diabetes who had not had an eye screening in the last 425 days. Those who were identified were contacted by Community Health Centres and offered free screening. This pilot project will allow Dr. Rac and her team to study the effectiveness of this program in removing barriers to screening. The program is currently being tested across Canada in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Newfoundland.

Led by Dr. Rebecca Ganann from McMaster University, this program was developed with the input of patients, caregivers, primary and community care providers and researchers. It was delivered to older adults living with diabetes and other chronic health conditions over a period of six months by nurses, dietitians and community providers. Participants reported improved eating habits, enhanced physical function, improved knowledge in managing diabetes and other chronic conditions, and improved connection to community resources.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) put a heavy financial strain on regional healthcare services. However, our research team has shown that there are ways to reduce costs while improving outcomes for patients. Led by Dr. Charles de Mestral from Unity Health in Toronto, this project has shown that using multidisciplinary teams and specialized care pathways for DFU patients can be effective. This evidence has helped us reach policymakers, as it is an opportunity to ensure better care, reduce the number of lower limb amputations, and decrease burden on the healthcare system.

In January, 2023 the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) announced funding for the Accelerating Clinical Trials (ACT) Canada Consortium, which will improve Canada’s ability to conduct clinical trials for therapies that could have a positive impact on health outcomes for Canadians. ACT brings together hundreds of researchers over 28 networks, 11 clinical trial units, Patient Partners, members of the biotechnology industry, government, and other experts. Diabetes Action Canada will be involved through its participation in the Diabetes Clinical Trial Network, led by Dr. Hertzel Gerstein (Deputy Director of the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences).

In 2023 Diabetes Action Canada became a member of the World Health Organization’s Global Diabetes Compact. The Compact, which has a vision of, “responding to the increasing burden of diabetes around the world,” was launched in 2021 to coincide with the 100^th anniversary of the discovery of insulin. Comprised of members from diabetes organizations around the globe, Diabetes Action Canada looks forward to learning from other members and supporting the Compact’s goals of “ensuring that all people who are diagnosed with diabetes have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality treatment and care.”