In 2005 the first IDF Global Guideline for type 2 diabetes was developed. This presented a unique challenge as IDF tried to develop a guideline that is sensitive to resource and cost-effectiveness issues. Many national guidelines address one group of people with diabetes in the context of one health-care system, with one level of national and health-care resources. This is not true in the global context where, although every health-care system seems to be short of resources, the funding and expertise available for healthcare vary widely between countries and even between localities.
The 2012 guideline represents an update of the first guideline and extends the evidence base by including new studies and treatments which have emerged since the original guideline was produced in 2005.