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This podcast is presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC – safer, healthier people.

In 2005, 1.5 million people were newly diagnosed with diabetes in the United States, and the numbers continue to increase each year. Every day, more than four thousand people are diagnosed with diabetes. Most of them are given prescriptions for medications or supplies to perform home self-glucose monitoring. Yet patient adherence to medications and self-monitoring remains a challenge. Pharmacists are a critical part of the Diabetes Care Team and are the most readily accessible medical professional. You can talk with a pharmacist for free. Pharmacists can help your patients choose the glucose meter that is right for them. They can also teach them how to use the results of self-monitoring. Help your patients get the most out of their medications and improve adherence: include your local pharmacist as part of the Diabetes Care Team.

The National Diabetes Education Program, or NDEP, has information and free educational materials for health care professionals and for people with diabetes. Visit www.YourDiabetesInfo.org or call toll-free1-888-693-NDEP.

For the most accurate health information, visit www.cdc.gov or call 1-800-CDC-INFO, 24/7.