On November 19, 2012, the Juvenile Diabetes Cure Alliance announced the release of their annual research report, State of the Cure, which is the only analytical and comprehensive review of progress made toward a type 1 diabetes cure during 2012. It is for anyone whose life has been touched by type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes.
The Juvenile Diabetes Cure Alliance was founded by Activision Blizzard, Inc. Co-Chairman Brian G. Kelly to bring a business like perspective to the development of a type 1 diabetes cure. In 2009, after several years of learning about type 1 diabetes and realizing that a cure was not on the immediate horizon, he began to consider what he could do personally to accelerate the development of a cure for his son and the millions of other children living with type 1 diabetes every minute of every day.
State of the Cure reveals that funding levels for cure research have declined by almost half. None of the major non-profits have an initiative to prioritize and fund cure projects that have the highest potential to succeed in the near future. Only 5 projects that could deliver a Practical Cure in the next 15 years are currently in human clinical trials.
“Unless focus is placed on practical cure research, it is unlikely that life-changing progress will be achieved,” said JDCA General Manager Phil Shaw. “We need more quality projects in human clinical trials. There is no time to waste.”
State of the Cure is the first report to tackle the development of a type 1 diabetes cure from a broad perspective. It monitors scientific advances and tracks funding trends and strategies at the major diabetes non-profits, including the American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, JDRF, and Joslin Diabetes Center. How do organizations like the ADA raise money? What are they doing with donor contributions? How do they choose which research to fund? The report addresses all of these topics.
While State of the Cure shares discouraging findings, the JDCA believes that donors can reverse these trends. Donors have the power to specify how their money is used in a letter attached to their donation. Donors can unite their voices to accelerate the development of a Practical Cure for loved ones living with type 1 diabetes.
About the JDCA
The JDCA is an independent analyst of the type 1 diabetes charitable universe and brings a business-like perspective to focus research toward a Practical Cure. The mission of the JDCA is to unite donor voices and accelerate the development of a cure for established diabetics.
