Type 2 Diabetes Burden Rises Steadily Within the Past 30 Years

Over the past 30 years, the type 2 diabetes (T2D) disease burden and its associated productivity loss have risen significantly, representing a major threat to public health in the Western Pacific region and beyond, according to a study in Pharmacoeconomics and Policy.¹

“Diabetes poses a substantial burden on society in the form of higher direct medical costs, lost productivity, premature mortality, and intangible costs in the form of reduced social connectivity and quality of life,” according to a study in Diabetes Care.² “The estimated economic burden of diabetes in 2017 was $327 billion in 2017 USD, including $237 billion in direct medical costs and $90 billion in reduced productivity.”

The Western Pacific region, which houses the world’s largest population affected by diabetes at 215.4 million people, serves as a stark case study for this global disease trend.¹

Between 1990 and 2021, the age-standardized disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rate in this area rose to 624.55 per 100,000 people. Modeling suggests, however, this figure will soar to 2243.12 by 2050.

This trajectory underscores a critical need for pharmaceutical intervention and sustainable health policies to mitigate what is becoming a staggering drain on global economic capacity.

READ MORE: FDA Approves Langlara as Interchangeable Biosimilar to Insulin Glargine

In the US, the situation is equally urgent, with approximately 1 in 8 Americans currently living with diabetes. Among these individuals, the total economic burden reached $412.9 billion in 2022, with direct medical costs accounting for $306.6 billion of that sum.^2,3

Pharmacists are increasingly positioned at the center of this crisis, as care for individuals diagnosed with diabetes now accounts for one out of every 4 health care dollars spent in the country. Notably, the inflation-adjusted costs of insulin and other glucose-lowering medications rose significantly between 2017 and 2022, emphasizing the pharmacist’s role in navigating the financial and clinical complexities of modern glycemic management.²

The economic burden is further compounded when T2D presents alongside chronic kidney disease (CKD), a common and serious complication. Data involving commercially insured populations indicate that patients with both T2D and CKD incur mean annual costs of $35,649, which is more than double the $16,121 seen in patients with T2D alone.^3,4

For pharmacists, this data suggests a critical window for intervention. Costs escalate most rapidly once a patient reaches CKD stage 3b. By focusing on therapeutic interventions that delay disease progression, providers can help reduce the substantial health care resource utilization that typically includes increased inpatient hospitalizations and emergency department visits.⁴

Beyond medical expenditures, the indirect costs of T2D manifest as a profound loss of societal productivity. Productivity loss in the Western Pacific exceeds $220 billion annually, and US employers face nearly $7000 in excess annual costs per employee with T2D.^1,2,5

For those managing the disease, the impact on daily life varies by treatment intensity. Individuals with T2D who require insulin report a 19% loss in work productivity compared with 11% for those not on insulin. This reinforces the importance of the pharmacist’s role in optimizing therapy to not only improve clinical markers like A_1c but also to enhance a patient’s functional capacity and quality of life.⁶

Managing high blood sugar is essential in preventing the damaging long-term effects on the heart, eyes, and kidneys. Although lifestyle changes remain a cornerstone of prevention, the steady 30-year climb in disease prevalence indicates that multi-sectoral strategies are required to stabilize this public health threat.^1,3

As the front line of medication management, pharmacists remain vital to coordinating care that addresses both the clinical symptoms and the massive economic ripples of the T2D epidemic.^1,5

“The present investigation emphasizes the vital significance of preventive and control measures targeting T2D, together with fair allocation of medical resources,” concluded the authors of the current study.¹ “Policymakers need to deliberate thoroughly on these aspects to accomplish the primary objective of mitigating the overall burden imposed by the condition on every inhabitant within the Western Pacific area.”

READ MORE: Diabetes Resource Center

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REFERENCES

1. Dong L, Zhou D, Tang W. Disease burden and productivity loss of T2DM in the Western Pacific region from 1990 to 2050: a modeling study using GBD 2021. P&P. 2026;2(1):12-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharp.2026.03.001

2. Parker ED, Lin JD, Mahoney TJ, et al. Economic costs of diabetes in the U.S. in 2022. Diabetes Care. 2023;47(1):26-43. https://doi.org/10.2337/dci23-0085

3. Type 2 diabetes. CDC. May 15, 2024. Accessed May 5, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/about/about-type-2-diabetes.html

4. Chung H, Crowe CL, Kong SX, et al. Descriptive study of the economic burden among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus in a large US commercially insured population. JMCP. 2022;29(1):80-89. https://doi.org/10.18553/jmcp.2023.29.1.80

5. Park J, Bigman E, Zhang P. Productivity loss and medical costs associated with type 2 diabetes among employees aged 18-64 years with large employer-sponsored insurance. Diabetes Care. 2022 Nov 1;45(11):2553-2560. doi: 10.2337/dc22-0445.

6. Impact of diabetes on daily life & productivity. dQ&A. March 2019. Accessed May 5, 2026. https://www.d-qa.com/work/diabetes-impact-on-daily-life-work-productivity