House lawmakers to examine fight against diabetes

The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee next week will take a look at the country's progress in the fight against diabetes, the panel just announced. 

There's good reason for the interest: Diabetes is among the fastest-growing ailments in the country, with almost 24 million Americans — about 8 percent of the population — estimated to have the disease, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of those, nearly 6 million are undiagnosed, CDC estimates.

Patients with diabetes also tend to be particularly expensive to treat, because they often suffer from concurrent ailments like heart disease and kidney failure.

The health subcommittee, headed by Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., (D-N.J.), has not yet announced the witnesses.