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Review of diabetic control and current management funded by AstraZeneca

N

Nimbargent

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
My GP surgery has invited me to a face-to-face review of diabetic control and current management funded by AstraZeneca—meeting with a clinical pharmacist. I have received little background information except that the pharmacists are employed by Interface Clinical Service.

What is the likely purpose of the review? How could it benefit me?
 
What is your current diabetes management like? ie What was your most recent HbA1c? Do you home test with a finger prick kit?

The review could benefit you by suggesting drugs that might help you manage your diabetes better than your current regime. The fact that it is funded by AstraZenica suggests that they will be recommending their medication to treat you. I am not sure what diabetes meds AZ manufacture but it may be a way of them getting GPs to prescribe their meds by doing this review.
 
Nimbargent said:
My GP surgery has invited me to a face-to-face review of diabetic control and current management funded by AstraZeneca—meeting with a clinical pharmacist. I have received little background information except that the pharmacists are employed by Interface Clinical Service.

What is the likely purpose of the review? How could it benefit me?
Click to expand...

Do you think it might be related to this project @Nimbargent

Interface diabetes project featured in Pulse | Interface CS

A pharmacist-led review program for type 2 diabetes patients lead to more receiving the full range of NICE-recommended checks
www.interface-cs.co.uk www.interface-cs.co.uk

It seemed to be an industry-sponsored attempt at trying to improve the percentage of people receiving more of their annual checks, BG, blood pressure, cholesterol, etc
 
rebrascora said:
What is your current diabetes management like? ie What was your most recent HbA1c? Do you home test with a finger prick kit?

The review could benefit you by suggesting drugs that might help you manage your diabetes better than your current regime. The fact that it is funded by AstraZenica suggests that they will be recommending their medication to treat you. I am not sure what diabetes meds AZ manufacture but it may be a way of them getting GPs to prescribe their meds by doing this review.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I was diagnosed in 2012, aged 57. HbA1c 42 (6.0%)
I have recently hit HbA1c 51(6.8%)
I felt that finger-prick tests did not help me.
I have done most of the right things to keep my diabetes under strict control.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Do you think it might be related to this project @Nimbargent

Interface diabetes project featured in Pulse | Interface CS

A pharmacist-led review program for type 2 diabetes patients lead to more receiving the full range of NICE-recommended checks
www.interface-cs.co.uk www.interface-cs.co.uk

It seemed to be an industry-sponsored attempt at trying to improve the percentage of people receiving more of their annual checks, BG, blood pressure, cholesterol, etc
Click to expand...
Thank you. Your suggestion sounds highly likely. I have three monthly blood checks from haematology associated with leukaemia, and a diabetic "service" once a year. Although I am well and fit for my age, 69, I am heavily medicated. It will be interesting to see how the pharmacist manages this meeting.
 
I post so that anyone else in the future who may have a similar question can benefit from it.

I had a face-to-face meeting today with a clinical pharmacist at the GP's surgery. Quickly, the decision was made to discontinue taking linagliptin and switch to dapagliflozin. The various benefits were discussed. This is subject to GP sign-off. The consultation was funded by AstraZeneca. I will take this drug alongside metformin. HbA1c 50.
 
This might bear some resemblance to what used to happen in the Bad Old Days™ (which still exist in the US!) where doctors were 'encouraged' by a drug company's rep to prescribe their products preferentially.
By sheer coincidence the doctors were then offered posh conferences in exotic locations, holidays in the Bahamas - and even free notepads and pens (of course stamped with the name of the drug company)!
Let us hope that I am simply being cynical...
[There is, of course, absolutely no similarity to the partnership between Diabetes UK and Slimming World.]
 
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John Gray said:
This might bear some resemblance to what used to happen in the Bad Old Days™ (which still exist in the US!) where doctors were 'encouraged' by a drug company's rep to prescribe their products preferentially.
Click to expand...
Nothing will make me believe that the drug that I have been prescribed will be branded AstraZeneca 🙂

I also note that some GP services may be delegated to pharmacists. I get the strong impression that certain patients have been selected from the medical database as candidates for this drug, as I am 90% certain that the decision was made prior to the consultation.

Having said this, I have confidence in the approach.
 
Our surgery has an in-house pharmacist too. Which happened when the practice merged several smaller ones into a bigger group to cross over some funding hurdle or other.

My meds review are now conducted by the pharmacist rather than GP, but afaik mine isn’t funded externally as per the link I found up-thread.

Pharmacists (the fully qualified ones) do have additional expertise insight into drug interaction and the most up to date thinking on options and outcomes. So I can see the sense in it to some degree. I rarely if ever see my GP. Perhaps once every 2-3 years?
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Pharmacists (the fully qualified ones) do have additional expertise insight into drug interaction and the most up to date thinking on options and outcomes. So I can see the sense in it to some degree. I rarely if ever see my GP. Perhaps once every 2-3 years?
Click to expand...
Some of my fellow haematology patients in Birmingham visit a consultant pharmacist rather than a consultant doctor. He is highly respected. I am confident that pharmacists working in primary care and hospitals have a great deal to offer. Perhaps, driven by AI, this is the direction in which diabetes care is moving.
 
A little bit more. A comprehensive form, titled "The Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Type 2 Diabetes Service: Patient Assessment Form," is produced. This is helpful. Form number GB-55834.

My GP declined to follow the pharmacist's advice for a medication change. A prior referral to haematology would be required.

Cohort for this programme shown in the image below.
cvd.jpg
 
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