Researchers have found that a medication that is well-known for lowering blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a cost-effective option to treat all people living with T2DM, regardless of whether or not they have challenges managing their blood glucose levels.
A collaboration between Monash University and the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, the study, which was published in the European journal Diabetologia analysed the cardiovascular and kidney health benefits of sodium-glucose transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLTis) and explored whether SGLTis are cost-effective treatments when considering only their cardiovascular and kidney benefits.
“People living with type 2 diabetes are at high risk of heart attacks, stroke, heart failure and end-stage kidney disease, but some medicines that target these critical health conditions are not currently subsidised for everyone at risk,” lead researcher Jedidiah Morton from the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences said.
“Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) criteria restrict subsidised use of SGLT2is to people who have ‘uncontrolled’ glucose, potentially limiting access to people who could benefit.”
In light of the study’s results on the medication’s cost-effectiveness, the PBS could potentially review and consider prescribing criteria for SGLT2is, according to the study’s senior author Associate Professor Zanfina Ademi.
“However, the government will also need to balance the cost and benefits of treatments relating to different health problems when making resource allocation decisions at the population level,” she said.
Diabetes Australia Group CEO Justine Cain says the findings could be good news for people living with type 2 diabetes.
“Kidney and heart disease are two of the most common diabetes-related complications with around 380,000 Australians living with kidney disease and/or cardiovascular disease as well as diabetes,” Ms Cain said.
“So it’s important that more Australians can access medicines like these to help them live well and reduce the impact of diabetes-related complications on our health system.”
Head of Diabetes and Population Health at the Baker Institute, Professor Dianna Magliano, said: “With the increase in the number of people with diabetes and/or with a longer duration of diabetes we may see a higher incidence of diabetes-specific complications such as kidney failure and cardiovascular disease.
“We, therefore, need to look at ways to address rising healthcare costs and to improve quality of life for people with type 2 diabetes.”
