Scientists in India are working on developing more affordable test strips for the estimated 50.8 million patients suffering with diabetes.
The country’s Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said: "Diabetes is highly prevalent in the country and the strip to measure sugar level is imported as it is patented abroad and it costs Rs 30."
"We have now assigned the task to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to develop a strip for diabetes ."
"Earlier we were dependent on foreign scientists for research in medicine . But it is not good for a big country to be dependent on others and now we can be proud that we are doing well in research."
Speaking at a function to mark the centenary of ICMR, Azad recalled the efforts made by scientists and pharmaceutical companies to quickly develop a vaccine for the H1N1 outbreak, and said he hoped for similar success with the diabetes strips .
"Only two years ago when H1N1 was spreading which people wrongly called swine flu, even the reagent to test the disease had to be imported from America. Later when it came to the vaccine for the disease, we had to import that from abroad as well," he explained.
"But then we gave ICMR the task to develop the vaccine for H1N1, within one year and I am proud that within one year our scientists and pharmaceutical companies developed the vaccine for H1N1."
Azad added that the reagent to test the disease was also developed within one year.
Indian Researchers To Develop Affordable Diabetes Test Strips
Wed, 09 Nov 2011
Recommended links
Diabetes IndiaDiabetes types and causes
Diabetes symptoms
Diabetes complications
Diabetes treatment guide
Diabetes self help measures
Diabetes management tools
New Oral Insulin Drug In The Pipeline
Red Wine Agent Protects Against Diabetes
Women Vital In Managing And Preventing Diabetes
Foot Ulcers A Problem For 15 In 100 Diabetics
UK Diabetes Rates Up 130,000 In A Year
Diabetic Women More Likely To Develop Breast Cancer
Diabetes Guides
