Commenting on statistics released by the NHS Information Centre regarding diabetes testing, Doris-Ann Williams, Director General of the British In-Vitro Diagnostics Association, said:

"The in-vitro diagnostics industry commends the NHS Information Centre report on Diabetes which is a thorough overview of the current situation. Our industry is constantly striving to develop new tests which can have a huge impact on the lives of diabetes patients by helping then monitor and manage their condition easily and effectively. Diabetes is a complex condition which can be difficult to manage so the industry invests heavily in support helplines and educational material to help patients. However, more needs to be done by the NHS and Department of Health to ensure such tests are readily available to patients. In recent years the NHS has sought to cut back on funding for diabetes testing which could prevent new and innovative tests from entering the UK. This is an alarming trend which could have a serious and direct impact on patient care and put UK patients in a worse position than their European counterparts."

26 October 2007