http://eater.com/archives/2012/01/17/paula-deen-announces-diabetes-diagnosis-pharmaceutical-partnership.php
http://www.drbriffa.com/2009/03/13/are-the-financial-incentives-given-to-uk-doctors-regarding-diabetes-doing-more-harm-than-good/
some interesting reading......
i have also been reading that 2 tests are required to confirm diabetes - and OGTT should be offered.
The corollary of family doctors boosting their practice income by diagnosing as many of their patients as possible with diabetes (to keep the numbers up) is that they can be reluctant to concede that it might also be a curable condition, for two frequently reiterated but dubious reasons. The first is the claim that there is no such thing as “marginal” diabetes. Rather, like pregnancy, you either are or are not diabetic. Next, it is argued that diabetes is a progressive condition that may be controlled by dietary means, but essentially requires medication to prevent any long-term consequences. Diabetes is, in short, a life-long, irreversible illness, hence the need for monitoring.
This, however, may not be the case, as suggested by the experience of a reader diagnosed as having diabetes following a routine blood test that showed “a slightly raised blood sugar level”. He ignored the official dietary advice to stick to a low-fat diet in favour of consuming lots of meat, fish, wine and vegetables. When the time came for his first annual review, he had lost several kilos and his sugar levels were now well within the normal range. When he suggested to the nurse that his dietary regime might have “cured” his condition, she responded that he was only managing it successfully – and thus must continue with his regular check-ups.
This policy may help sustain the practice income, but can have financial penalties for the patients, as the necessity to declare medical conditions when applying for car or travel insurance inevitably drives up the premiums.
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i am not happy to just take the information from the surgery that is on leaflets from Noro etc etc - and other medical companies etc at face value - it is right to question these things.
to be honest it is difficult to believe much of what we are being fed - the government are all liars and the medical profession is under alot of scrutiny along with all the nhs scandals lately - my own sister dying in a hospital through neglect last january....and she was a staff nurse. the horror stories she told me about what really goes on.....and the cover ups!
it just stinks that the details here about diabetes levels being changed and doctors being paid etc - this cannot be right.
i am going to get two blood tests done for my husband privately and the OGTT tests - and then we will see but we are not prepared to just take the docs word for it after only ONE blood test result.