Type 2 diabetes treatment study finds success, has patients aggressively treated from the start

Diabetes is usually treated with one medication, while other drugs and insulin are added if the disease worsens. This wait-and-see approach has been turned on its head by a study in which doctors treat patients aggressively from the start with two diabetes medications plus insulin at bedtime for three months. Seven sites in Canada are taking part in the REMIT study, led by the Population Health Research Institute. A preliminary study found the treatment produced remission in 40% of patients for three months. The treatment goes beyond medication, as staff encourage patients to exercise 30 minutes daily and manage their diet carefully. The success of the first two clinical trials, held in 2015, prompted Ontario's Lawson Health Research Institute to open enrolment for a third trial.