Australians visiting their local Priceline Pharmacy this week might walk away with more than a prescription, they might leave with a timely wake-up call. As part of National Diabetes Week (13 to 19 July), over 300 Priceline stores across the country are offering free, self-service health checks aimed at identifying early warning signs of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol.
The five-minute digital check-in could make the difference between early action and life-threatening complications. And according to Diabetes Australia, the scale of the problem is fast becoming unmanageable.
“Right now, we have 1.3 million Australians living with type 2 diabetes, another 500,000 who don’t know they have it, and around 2 million more who are at high risk,” said Justine Cain, Group CEO of Diabetes Australia. “A simple check could save lives and help ease pressure on our already stretched health system.”
While genetics play a role, Cain stressed that lifestyle remains a key factor. “We know that up to 58 percent of type 2 diabetes cases can be prevented or delayed through changes in diet, activity and weight management. But people need to know they’re at risk before they can do anything about it.”
Priceline’s Health Stations offer on-the-spot results, and the initiative is backed by pharmacy staff ready to guide customers through the next steps if red flags show up. Mel Gannon, Priceline’s National Pharmacy Support Manager, said the program reinforces the pharmacy’s role as an everyday health touchpoint. “This is where early intervention starts, with knowing your numbers.”
That early nudge may have saved the life of Lee Chinprahust, a 34-year-old security analyst from Sydney who thought his tiredness was just a side effect of a busy job. “I wasn’t expecting it,” Lee said, recalling the day his GP flagged his abnormal blood test results. Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at 29, Lee quickly learned he was also living with high blood pressure and cholesterol. “Catching it early gave me the chance to take control before things became more serious.”
He now manages his condition with a mix of medication, exercise and diet. “It’s all about the choices you make once you know what you’re dealing with,” he said. “But first, you need to know.”
The campaign lands as Diabetes Australia releases new economic modelling showing the disease is costing the country $9.1 billion annually, nearly triple previous estimates. The figure includes direct costs to the health system and the broader impact of complications like stroke, heart failure and vision loss, which can follow when diabetes is undiagnosed or unmanaged.
Every eight minutes, someone in Australia is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. If trends continue, the number of Australians living with the disease could reach 3.2 million by 2050. Cain warned that while some of these cases may be unavoidable, the sheer scale of the crisis demands urgent public health action.
“We’ve made progress on other preventable illnesses. Breast cancer screening, skin checks for melanoma, anti-smoking campaigns, all these have shown what’s possible when we take prevention seriously,” she said. “Diabetes, however, hasn’t received that level of national attention. And we’re now seeing the consequences.”
Diabetes Australia is calling for a stronger, coordinated approach that includes better food labelling, public education, school-based health programs and investment in community services that make it easier to get screened and supported early.
“Free health checks are an excellent start. But unless we embed them in a broader strategy, one that supports early diagnosis, better food systems and access to lifestyle support, we’ll be stuck reacting to a problem that should have been tackled years earlier.”
With pharmacies open late and located in most neighbourhoods, Gannon believes the reach of the campaign could play a quiet but critical role in changing the curve. “A lot of people might not visit their GP unless something feels really wrong. But they will pop into the pharmacy. That’s where we can catch risks early, before they snowball.”
Cain agrees. “Prevention isn’t about blaming individuals, it’s about giving people the tools to act before it’s too late.”
The health checks are available until 19 July across participating Priceline stores nationwide. For many Australians, they could be the start of a different future.
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