ARLINGTON, Va. — NACDS highlighted a newly-released guide from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this year in an op-ed in Morning Consult. The guide is even more timely now that it is National Diabetes Month, which brings awareness to a disease that affects nearly 30 million people in the United States—and counting.

The guide—“Rx for the National Diabetes Prevention Program”—highlights the essential role pharmacists play in diabetes prevention and the larger role they could potentially fill with expanded services to manage chronic conditions like diabetes. Pharmacists’ education empowers them to do more to improve patient health and quality of life, which is why voters support Medicare enrollees being able to receive newer services from their pharmacists. In fact, 81% of voters support pharmacists being able to help Medicare patients with managing illnesses like diabetes, and 82%t said they are likely to support a congressional candidate who works on securing that help in managing illnesses like diabetes.

Pharmacies, because of their integration in communities across the country are great access points to reach and educate patients to increase awareness about prediabetes and diabetes prevention. Two of the central areas where pharmacies and pharmacists have the greatest impact in diabetes are medication management and behavior changes programs to improve eating habits and increase physical activity. Pharmacists are also key in working with patients on the lifelong management of diabetes.