Background and Aims: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Spain is over the 6 % of the population. Nevertheless, previous studies have demonstrated that undiagnosed diabetes accounts for almost the half of that figure.

Therefore, there is a need for screening the disease, among people with risk factors of having diabetes, since at the time of diagnosis many patients’ present diabetic complications, as the UKPDS and other studies have found out Galicia is a part of Spain with an estimated population of about 2,800,000 inhabitants. The reckoned number of subjects with undiagnosed diabetes in Galicia is about 81.000. The population is very scattered, so that there are 31,326 entities of population in 29,434 km2, with a high number of rural settings. There are 1,239 pharmacies distributed over all the areas.
In this scenario “Fundación para la Diabetes” aims to:

Materials and Methods: The “Fundación para la Diabetes” contacted with pharmacists organizations as well as the associations dedicated to diabetes care, physicians, nurses, diabetic patients, and the health authorities. All of them agreed to collaborate in the screening of undetected diabetes. Posters and leaflets were distributed to primary health centers and chemist’s shops providing information about the risk factors of having diabetes: family history of diabetes, age over 45 years old, overweight, hypertension, hyperlipemia, gestational diabetes, children over 4 kg at birth. High-risk people were recommended to perform a free of charge capillary glycaemia test at the pharmacies. When the blood glucose level was over 140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/l), or 110 mg/dl (6.1 mmol/l) in the fasting state, the person was referred to his/her general practitioner for further assessment.. The campaign-period was one month.

Results: According to the Galician Association of Chemist, a 51.65 % of the total number of pharmacies consented to participate in the campaign. 10.134 tests were performed throughout the one-month period. 1.659 (16.37 % of the samples) presented high glucose levels, so that these people were recommended to attend to their general practitioner, in accordance with the protocol.

Primary care, specialized care, diabetes educators and people with diabetes organizations actively participated.

The campaign was approved by the public health care service: “Servicio Gallego de Salud”

Conclusion: A significant proportion of people at risk of developing diabetes have been screened in only one month. In a high-risk population, 16.37 % of the subjects presented abnormal blood glucose levels, although they needed further evaluation.

The chemists´ shops could play a very important role in this respect, especially in areas with an important geographical dispersion, as Galicia.