U.S. Diabetes Management Markets and Technologies

Almost everyone knows someone who has diabetes. An estimated 16 million people in the United States have diabetes mellitus—a serious, lifelong condition. About one-third of these 16 million people have not yet been diagnosed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that approximately 800,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, and almost 200,000 deaths a year are attributed to complications of diabetes. Approximately 1.2 million Americans suffer from Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes. An estimated 7.5 million Americans have diagnosed Type 2 diabetes. According to recent estimates by the CDC, the number of those with “pre-diabetes,” or Type 2 diabetes that is undiagnosed, is expected to be almost equal to the number of total diabetics diagnosed, at approximately 16 million Americans between the ages of 40 and 74. If the rate of diabetes continues to increase at the current rate, researchers believe that over 29 million people in the U.S. will have the disease by the year 2050 (Exhibit 1-1). Among adults, the prevalence of diabetes, including gestational diabetes, increased 33% from 1990 to 1998. The largest increase (70%) occurred among people aged 30 to 39 from 1990 through 1998.