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Health care costs have been a hot button topic in recent years, and rightfully so. The United States spends an extraordinary amount of money on health care each year - $9,523 for every man, woman and child to be exact. This totals over 1 trillion dollars, accounting for roughly 17 percent of the United States' gross domestic product (GDP). The federal government spends 27 percent of its total budget on health care. Astonishingly more than it spends on the military, food and agriculture, education, transportation, and international affairs combined. So where is all the money going? Strangely enough, to combat just a few diseases.

Scientists work with animal models to better understand type 2 diabetes to treat the disease. They have developed specialized animal models that mimic the condition.  One line of mice, known as KK mice, develop obesity and glucose intolerance that lead to type 2 diabetes. Another rodent model, the Zucker diabetic fatty rat, is bred to be a precise model of human type 2 diabetes.

Hear from some of the country's leading scientists and medical experts who talk about why animal research is critical for medical progress and the advancement of both human and animal health.