A Look at the ADA Puzzle

We saw in the article on the AHA (American Heart Association) that the medical science puzzle is not a single puzzle, but a puzzle made of other puzzles. We moved to look at the ASA (American Stroke Association) puzzle, which was actually part of the AHA puzzle. Now, we are going to examine the ADA (American Diabetes Association). Our examinations, are still only preliminary, just enough to get a general picture. This general picture will provide further direction for research. This is a type of research, that was very briefly touched on in Quantum Physics, with the introduction of the "random walk". From this concept, which held the view that true science cannot be predicted only observed and explored, it could be said (or equated) that the "random walk" was the same as single frame (picture) in a movie, or a single piece in a puzzle. This means that while you can't predict what's going to occur, you can find enough pieces to produce a general picture (or trend). It's this process that saw the amazing developments in astronomy, physics, computer science, and the space program. However, from our initial pieces that we have found (of the medical science puzzle) this method does not exist here.

To examine the ADA, we will go to the same point that we did for the AHA and ASA, the annual report.

1. The prevalence of diabetes has never been greater, and the American Diabetes Association continues to rise to meet the growing challenges that go along with diabetes research, information and advocacy. The steady growth of the Association’s Research Program is exemplified by three different targeted grant projects that were initiated in FY04. These projects include the largest annual grant that the Association has ever awarded, focusing on obesity and type 2 diabetes, as well as the two largest grants ever given to individual researchers, focusing on islet cell transplantation in type 1 diabetes and diabetes in pregnancy. [Page 4, MESSAGE FROM THE VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP]

2. We live in a nation where more than six percent of the population — 18.2 million people — have diabetes, and the number is on the rise. As the challenges that diabetes presents continue to increase, the American Diabetes Association will be there, fighting to prevent and cure this devastating disease. [Page 5, message from the CEO]

3. In Memory and Recognition of GAIL PATRICK....As a tribute to Ms. Patrick, the American Diabetes Association established the Gail Patrick ADA Innovation Award. This prestigious award will go to the highest scoring innovation application from our two grant cycles each year in perpetuity. The award will provide $50,000 per year for two years to the researcher for developing an idea that could have major impact on diabetes research and the Association’s efforts to cure diabetes. [page 11]

4.
STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES (in thousands of dollars)
Public Support and Other Revenue
a. [2004 annual report]
Total Revenue $208,198
Expenses - Research $47,472 (23% of the total income)

These four pieces will give us a good general picture. From pieces 1 and 2, the point to an increase in diabetes. Pieces 1 to 3, are forward looking along with the rest of the document. Yet we see a research expendature similar to (although twice that of) the AHA and ASA (combined research expendature was only 20%). This places the same funding pressures on researchers, as described in the article, "Science is no Place for Fudge". The vast majority of its funds are spent on professional and public information, education, and promotional programs. This brings the same issue as seen in the AHA and the ASA - why do MD's need these "education" programs? However, we will look at this question of MD education and qualication, in a later article. For the next direction we will take a clue from the final report and look at the American Cancer Association (ACA).