Boerge Krag Diderichsen print  
   Biography
 
Boerge Diderichsen, Professor, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in microbiology from Copenhagen University 1980.
Research scientist, Novo Industry, from 1981.
Vice President of Corporate Research Affairs, Novo Nordisk, 1996-.
Adjunct professor at Aarhus University, 1993-.
Governing Board of the European Industrial Research Management Association, 1996-2000.
Board of Medicon Valley Academy, 1997-.
Faculty Council of the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1997-2001.
Academy of Technical Sciences, 1997-.
Senate at Aalborg University, 2001-2004.
Research policy steering group of the Danish Association of Pharmaceutical Industries, Chairman 2001-2005.
Board of directors of the Nano- and Microelectronics Institute, Chairman October 2001-2004.
European Federation of Biotechnology, President 2002-2005.
European Commission Advisory Group for Life Sciences, Genomics, and Biotechnology for Health, the 6th FP, October 2002-.
ScanBalt BioRegion, Vice-Chairman October 2002-.
High-Level Supervisory Committee of EFBIC (European Focus on Biotechnology in China), Co-chairman 2002-2005.
EAGLES – European Action on Global Life Sciences. Steering Committee 2003-.
 
 
  Abstract
 
Changing Diabetes - a perspective from industry
Changing Diabetes – a perspective from industry Boerge Diderichsen, Vice-President, Novo Nordisk Diabetes: a pandemic Diabetes is a major global public health problem. In 2003, 194 million people had diabetes and that number is expected to reach 333 million by 2025. Diabetes is associated with long-term complications such as heart diseases, blindness, kidney failure, and amputations. The human and socio-economic costs associated with diabetes are exorbitant. Especially poorer groups that are less able to get access to proper care become a greater burden on society. The economic burden of diabetes, already huge, will be catastrophic in the future if nothing is done. Changing Diabetes Novo Nordisk is committed together with key stakeholders to develop solutions for how better to meet the needs of people with or at risk of developing diabetes and its complications. Poor control of diabetes translates into lost lives, lost quality of life and lost national productivity. With proper treatment people with diabetes can lead almost normal lives and reduce the risk of disabilities. Education and access to basic health care services are important parts of the solution. The goal is to change the life of people with diabetes. Reaching the poorest nations As part of its World Partner Program, Novo Nordisk is collaborating with 8 developing countries to improve diabetes care by establishing diabetes clinics, training doctors and nurses, and collaborating with governments to set up national diabetes programmes. Novo Nordisk offers human insulin to the public health systems in the 50 Least Developed Countries at prices not to exceed 20% of the average price in North America, Europe and Japan. The World Diabetes Foundation was launched in 2002 as an independent non-profit organisation with an initial grant from Novo Nordisk of 90 million $ to improve diabetes care in the world’s poorest countries. Today WDF is supporting 57 projects with an estimated direct impact on 24 million people.