Health care disparities are a growing national concern in the United States for many chronic health conditions, including diabetes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that approximately 21 million people — 7 percent of the U.S. population — have diabetes. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports that disparities exist in almost all aspects of health care, including all dimensions of quality of and access to care for many chronic health conditions and for many groups. To address the growing problem of health care disparities in the context of type 2 diabetes in the United States among minority, low-income, and underserved adult populations, The Merck Company Foundation - the philanthropic arm of Merck & Co., Inc. — is launching a new initiative: The Merck Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes with a commitment of up to $15 million during the next five years.

The Alliance aims to help decrease health care disparities and enhance the quality of health care by improving diabetes prevention and management services. The Alliance will work with national, regional and community partners to develop and implement comprehensive, evidence-based diabetes programs that will:

• Apply program models that address health care disparities related to type 2 diabetes and its associated conditions or complications among minority, low-income and underserved adult populations
  
  
• Enhance patient and health care provider communication, mobilize community partners, and assist health care organizations to decrease disparities in diabetes care
  
  
• Improve the quality of health care for adults who have or are at risk for type 2 diabetes
  
  
• Decrease health care disparities related to diabetes and its associated conditions or complications
  
  
• Increase public awareness of the problem of health care disparities and diabetes
  
  

In early 2009, The Merck Company Foundation will announce several five-year health care disparities and diabetes programs in selected communities around the country. The Foundation will work with an independent third-party organization to evaluate the impact of the Alliance and its programs. A key goal of the Alliance will be to disseminate important findings to aid in the development of comprehensive diabetes prevention and management programs that will help to reduce health care disparities related to diabetes.

If you have questions about the Alliance or its programs, please contact The Merck Company Foundation at +1-908-423-2042. 

The content on this page was last modified on October 24, 2008.