The World Health Organization estimates that 177 million people had diabetes in 2000, and by 2030 that number could double.

And, Southeast Louisiana has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the United States.

Now there are two free studies in Metairie for people with diabetes.

When John Paul Haley weighed 277 pounds, his diabetes was out of control and he lived on medications.

"I had blood pressure pills. I had diabetic pills. I had a collection of things I took every morning,” he said. “Then I had the real awakening in 2001 when I had a stroke."  

He lost 45 pounds on his own and then joined a diabetes study and began taking a pill that's not yet approved and lost another 63 pounds fast. Today, at 108 pounds lighter it's easy to control his blood sugar.

"I had gotten off the diabetic pills. I got off the blood pressure pills and today I only take one pill and that's preventative aspirin," he said.

"We know that one of the best ways to treat type-2 diabetes is weight loss," said Dr. Eileen Palace, a clinical trial investigator from Metairie. “It can reduce all of your medications and in some cases the person will no longer be diagnosed as diabetic.”

Dr. Palace is hoping that a new diabetes study at her Metairie office will also help other diabetics improve their health through weight loss. Her clinic is a test site for a new injectable drug being studied for it's effectiveness to improve glucose control and weight loss at the same time. It is for type-2 diabetics who are also taking the drug Metformin.”

"I'm just real excited that they are going to be able to hopefully take a drug that's really going to help they with their weight loss simultaneous to getting their glucose under better control, says Dr. Palace.

Her office is also part of a second clinical trial, for both type-1 and type-2 diabetics, such as Nathan Brumfield who needs daily injections. He says he did not like giving himself insulin injections with a needle and syringe.

"You have to measure with the syringe. Being diabetic, vision is challenged so you know it's hard to know for a fact that you're getting the right amount," says Brumfield. 

So he switched to the newer pen style. He says it's easier to carry and it's pre-measured, disposable and not uncomfortable. Now Dr. Palace says there is a new smaller, updated insulin injection pen that they are testing. The study is for people who are currently using the old fashioned needle and syringe.

"We know that insulin is more effective and causes less mortality if people use it at regular intervals so the easier and safer and more convenient it is to carry it with you, the more likely people are to get their diabetes under control," says Dr. Palace. 

New technology Nathan hopes will get FDA approval soon.