DIABETES-MELLITUS AND THE ST-VINCENT DECLARATION - THE ECONOMIC-IMPLICATIONS

Diabetes mellitus imposes significant costs both on individuals and on healthcare delivery systems, Chronic diseases such as diabetes mellit us have lifetime costs, and so resources spent on interventions now ma y not bring benefits, in terms of reduced complications, for many year s. In Europe, the St Vincent Declaration, which includes targets for t he reduction of diabetes mellitus-related complications, is an importa nt initiative set up to address quality and education issues relevant to people with diabetes mellitus. The Declaration is to be welcomed as focusing attention on diabetes mellitus, and its implementation may l ead to a reduction in healthcare expenditure on complications in futur e years. The aims of the St Vincent Declaration are to set goals and 5 -year targets to improve quality of life and life expectancy for peopl e with diabetes mellitus and to reduce the serious complications assoc iated with the disease. Achievement of these targets will depend on go od organisation and management of services to people with diabetes mel litus, but the aims are a clear signal that the importance of preventi on and education have been recognised. A major barrier to the implemen tation of the Declaration is financial. If more people are diagnosed a nd treated, more services will be required. This will incur costs, alt hough future benefits will be gained in terms of a reduction in compli cations.