Novo Nordisk: Survival Of The Fittest Applies In Diabetes And Obesity Market

Novo Nordisk: survival of the fittest applies in diabetes and obesity market

Novo Nordisk: survival of the fittest applies in diabetes and obesity market
Diabetes specialist Novo Nordisk is feeling the heat from increasingly price conscious US payers. It needs next generation innovation and growth in emerging markets to keep ahead of competitors and meet demands of outcomes-focused payers.
For many years, Denmarks Novo Nordisk was the pharmaceutical company that could do no wrong by shareholders under the 16-year tenure of chief executive Lars Srensen, it achieved an unbroken run of nearly 50 quarters of double digit sales growth.
This great success was founded on successive innovation in insulin products and user-friendly insulin pen devices. The company also expanded into haemophilia and growth disorder treatments, all of which saw revenues rise year on year, its share price growing twelvefold between 2000 and 2016.
But this golden period came to an abrupt halt last year when newly-empowered pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) began to demand major price cuts in the US market, which accounts for around 40% of global diabetes sales, and 51% of Novos revenues. Novo and competitors such as Sanofi and Eli Lilly were forced to give steep discounts or otherwise see their products delisted from reimbursed lists entirely.
This led to Novo cutting its longer-term forecast for sales growth twice: slashed from 15% to 5%, the move sparked an investor crisis of confidence which led to Lars Srensen stepping down from the CEO role two years early.
Novo isnt out of the woods yet in the US: there are continuing battles with PBMs, threats of new price transpa Continue reading

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Alexa, tell me about my blood glucose: Health tech startup Wellpepper wins Alexa Diabetes Challenge

The Sugarpod, winner of the Alexa Diabetes Challenge. The device is a scale and foot scanner that connects to an app and Alexa skill. (Wellpepper Photo)
Type 2 Diabetes has become a health crisis in the U.S. The rate of type 2 diabetes has nearly doubled in the last twenty years and the disease is now among the top ten causes of death.
Sadly, the problem is only going to get worse: The CDC has projected that the rate of type 2 diabetes could triple by 2050 .
The Alexa Diabetes Challenge is hoping to ease that crisis. The program launched in April, and challenged health technology companies to put Amazons Alexa voice assistant to work in helping those with newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes.
Voice is a natural interface in healthcare, both in the clinic and in the home.
Monday, the challenges organizersannounced the winner of the $125,000 grand prize: Seattle-based health software startup Wellpepper , which entered its first-ever device in the competition.
The competition was a collaboration between pharmaceutical giant Merck , strategy consultant Luminary Labs and Amazon Web Services (AWS) , the tech giants cloud service. The 98 competitors received mentoring, cash prizes and AWS credits as they moved through the challenges stages. Wellpepper was one of five finalists.
Known as Sugarpod , the winning device is a connected weight scale and foot scanner that integrates with the Sugarpod app and Alexa skill.
Wellpepper CEO Anne Weiler. (Wellpepper CEO)
We knew that voice would be a great interface for interactive care plans but wanted to take it further with an IoT dev Continue reading

Preventing type 2 diabetes requires transformation of our environments

Across the world, type 2 diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate. I am currently in Bermuda, which like many small islands, has a particularly high rate of diabetes. Just a short time here is enough to highlight how the environment is promoting the rise in type 2 diabetes.
While there have been some small steps to transform the diabetogenic environment, much more needs to be done to transform the food and physical environments in which we live in order to improve the health of the public.
How big is the problem?
The most recent edition of the International Diabetes Federation’s IDF Atlas estimated there were 415 million adults living with diabetes in 2015, an increase from 151 million in 2000. The great majority of that increase is due to the inexorable rise in cases of type 2 diabetes. This increase is occurring in just about every country in the world – diabetes is no longer a problem of rich societies. In fact, one of the most startling facts is how type 2 diabetes is increasing so rampantly in sub-Saharan Africa, an area that is predicted to see the largest increase in diabetes by 2040 of any global region.
Another sobering lesson is that the traditional explanation for the rise in type 2 diabetes in low-income countries is due to ‘urbanisation’; yet the most recent data suggest that the gap between urban and rural areas is narrowing, that the so-called diabetogenic environment is spreading out from the cities. The IDF Atlas also reveals the ‘island phenomenon’, with some of the highest prevalence rates being found in small islands, most notably in some o Continue reading

11 Exercise Tips for People With Type 2 Diabetes

11 Exercise Tips for People With Type 2 Diabetes
By Jenna Autuori Dedic UpdatedDecember 6, 2017
Jenna is a freelance writer, specializing in fitness and health topics, but loves essay writing and covering pop culture, travel and parenting stories. Jenna was previously the fitness editor at Fitness magazine. She lives in Westchester County, New York with her husband and their toddler daughter, Evie.
If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times: Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. And now that you have diabetes it's even more so. "Exercise will burn up some of the excessive sugar floating in your bloodstream to fuel your muscles during workouts. It's basically a straightforward and natural way to reduce your blood sugar," says Dr. Michele Olson, an exercise physiologist and adjunct professor of sport science at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama. Fortunately, you don't have to run a marathon or swim a mile to reap the benefits of working out. A little change will go a long way in preventing the long-term complications associated with diabetes. Get started with these 11 tips:
Ready, set, get fit! (Image: @jsdaniel via Twenty20)
1. Do a blood sugar check. You need to think about your blood sugar levels both before and after exercising. If your blood sugar is low prior to working out, then snack on 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates (like an apple, orange, slice of bread or granola bar) and wait 15 minutes before re-checking. If it's within your target pre-exercise range, then hit the gym; if not, continue to follow the 15/15 rule Continue reading

Should People with Diabetes Soak Their Feet in Epsom Salt?

People with diabetes need to be aware that a potential complication is foot damage. Often this is caused by nerve damage and poor circulation. Over time both conditions might be caused by high blood glucose levels.
In order to lower the risk of foot damage, you need to take good care of your feet. Some prefer to soak their feet in Epsom salt. But people with diabetes should not do this. Soaking the feet if you have diabetes might raise the risk of foot issues.
Before you decide to soak the feet in Epsom salts, make sure to consult your doctor.
What is Epsom Salt?
Epsom salt scientifically is known as magnesium sulfate. It is actually a mineral compound which comes with different uses. Epsom salt is a common home remedy for different problems and has beauty and health benefits.
Why People Use Epsom Salt
Boosts the levels of sulfate and magnesium in the body
Soothes pain and muscle aches
Removes splinters
Provides relief from itches caused by poison ivy and sunburn
Decreases swelling
Foot Complications and Diabetes
In order to understand why individuals with diabetes should not soak their feet in Epsom salt, it is vital to understand how the condition itself might affect the feet.
High blood glucose levels can lead to damage to the nerves in the body. This is known as neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is actually the most common type of neuropathy for individuals with diabetes. It is a damage of the nerves which serve the arms and legs.
As a consequence, individuals with diabetes might lose feeling in their feet. As a matter of fact, it is common for individuals with diabetes Continue reading