PRINCETON, N.J., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Former President Bill Clinton will be the keynote speaker at the Global Changing Diabetes Leadership Forum, taking place on March 13, 2007 in New York City hosted by Novo Nordisk and supported by the International Diabetes Federation.The Forum will be a provocative dialogue on redefining healthcare focusing on the needs of people with diabetes, and will involve politicians, government officials, international organizations, patient organizations, healthcare professionals and media from more than 18 countries.
“Diabetes will constitute the most significant public health challenge of the 21st century if no action is taken now. It is already causing as many deaths as HIV/AIDS. We need to explore practical ways of redefining healthcare, by focusing on the needs of people with diabetes,” said Lars Rebien Sorensen, president and CEO of Novo Nordisk.
The discussions at the Forum will explore the concepts described last year by Harvard Professor Michael E. Porter and Professor Elizabeth Teisberg in their book Redefining Health Care: Creating Value-Based Competition on Results. Professor Elizabeth Teisberg will be attending the Global Changing Diabetes Forum and share her thoughts on the importance of focusing on the needs of patients over the full cycle of care — from prevention and diagnosis through recovery to long-term disease management.
The Global Changing Diabetes Leadership Forum is the most recent initiative taken by Novo Nordisk to call for a worldwide change in diabetes care.
“We can offer ourselves as partners and be catalysts for change for the benefit of people with diabetes across the world. However, the industry cannot fulfill this task alone and should not play the role of governments. Only by joining forces can we reach our objectives,” said Lars Rebien Sorensen.
In its efforts to call for a worldwide change in diabetes care, Novo Nordisk is also working actively to implement the recently adopted United Nations Resolution on diabetes by raising awareness among policy-makers.