NORTH HAVEN, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As the rate of Type 2 Diabetes soars to epidemic proportions worldwide, Covidien (NYSE: COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced the launch of the Our Resolution movement, a collaboration of healthcare experts, nonprofit organizations, health agencies, patients and national spokespersons who share the goal of resolving Type 2 Diabetes.

According to the World Health Organization, the worldwide incidence of Type 2 Diabetes is projected to grow from 171 million cases currently to 366 million worldwide by 2030¹. In 2007, the overall economic cost of diabetes in the U.S. was estimated at $174 billion².

The Our Resolution movement specifically focuses on the discovery that gastric bypass surgery resolves Type 2 Diabetes in approximately 77 percent³ of morbidly obese patients. In fact, for many of these patients, their diabetes or need for medication is resolved within days of surgery. According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, approximately 220,000 people in the U.S. had bariatric surgery in 2008⁴. Studies show that those who had surgery dramatically reduced their risk of dying from an obesity-related disease, including the risk of death from diabetes, (down 92 percent), cancer (down 60 percent) and coronary artery disease (down 56 percent)⁵.

“The fact that bariatric surgery has been shown to resolve Type 2 Diabetes in a majority of morbidly obese patients is a discovery that could help so many Americans live longer, healthier lives,” said Michael Tarnoff, M.D., FACS, Chief Medical Officer & VP Medical Affairs, Surgical Devices, Covidien. “Our goal with this campaign is to inform both the medical community and the public about the impact of this disease and important treatment option. While surgery is not for everyone, it may be the only way for many morbidly obese patients to control their weight and diabetes.”

Supported by the National Association of Bariatric Nurses and the Obesity Action Coalition, the Our Resolution movement will kick-off on June 21, 2009 at the 26^th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery in Grapevine, TX.

Following the launch, the Our Resolution movement will continue to other cities with high incidences of Type 2 Diabetes obesity, including:

• Atlanta, GA
• New York, NY
• Minneapolis, MN

Actress, author and frequent Oprah Winfrey Show guest Stacey Halprin will help spearhead this campaign by sharing her personal experience of resolving Type 2 Diabetes through surgery. On Sept. 11, 2001, as terrorists attacked the World Trade Center near her home in New York City, Halprin took the first steps towards a healthier life. “I vowed to myself on that day that if the world got back on its feet, so would I. Right there and then I decided to fight for my life,” said Halprin. “Gastric bypass surgery isn’t a solution by itself, but it was a life-saving choice for me. I am now a much stronger and healthier person. My Type 2 Diabetes is completely resolved, and I am thrilled to be part of the Our Resolution campaign and help inspire others to change their lives.”

Together, Halprin, Covidien, the National Association of Bariatric Nurses and the Obesity Action Coalition will educate, inspire and engage Americans across the country who struggle with Type 2 Diabetes and obesity. Events for the medical community will explore the future of bariatric surgery and its role in resolving Type 2 Diabetes with the help of Francesco Rubino, M.D., world-renowned pioneer of surgery for Type 2 Diabetes, Michel Murr, M.D., Director of Bariatric Surgery at Tampa General Hospital, and Dara P. Schuster, M.D., Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Ohio State University.

Covidien recently launched www.ourresolution.com, which includes information about the campaign, events, partners and resources to increase public understanding of how bariatric surgery can resolve Type 2 Diabetes. Additional organizations, patients and members of the medical community will be invited to join the movement as it travels around the country. In 2008, Covidien launched www.bariatrics4diabetes.com, a robust site for those interested in in-depth information on bariatric surgery and the resolution of Type 2 Diabetes.

About Covidien

Covidien is a leading global healthcare products company that creates innovative medical solutions for better patient outcomes and delivers value through clinical leadership and excellence. Covidien manufactures, distributes and services a diverse range of industry-leading product lines in four segments: Medical Devices, Imaging Solutions, Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Supplies. With 2008 revenue of nearly $10 billion, Covidien has more than 41,000 employees worldwide in 59 countries, and its products are sold in over 140 countries. Please visit www.covidien.com to learn more about our business.

¹ World Health Organization

² American Diabetes Association original study, “Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2007”

³ Buchwald, H. et al, Weight and Type 2 Diabetes after Bariatric Surgery: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. The American Journal of Medicine. Vol. 22, No. 3, March 2009. pg 248-256e.

⁴ Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery Fact Sheet. American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery - http://www.asmbs.org/Newsite07/media/fact-sheet1_bariatric-surgery.pdf [30 March 2009].

⁵ Adams TD. Long-Term Mortality after Gastric Bypass Surgery. N Engl J Med 2007; 357:753-61.