@Munchkin Believe me, I take diabetes as seriously as anyone. I've seen far too many people with terrible complications that destroy their lives. However, all medical care should be individualized. There are some people who are able to achieve excellent control with little or no medication. I can't see why these people should undergo the risks of major surgery, as well as the nutritional risks of living with malabsorption. Of course, if their situation changes down the line, having surgery sooner while they are still healthy rather than later after they are in dire straits would make sense. And then, there are the people who are already too far gone to benefit. I hope we'll see less of this if/when this surgery becomes available in the USA, and if/when we also develop better nonoperative tools.
From what I've read, including a recent article, it's surprising (to me, anyway) how little type 2 diabetes shortens life expectancy. The big issue is quality of life, because diabetes significantly lowers good quality of life years. So please understand that I am not at all opposed to this surgery for people with type 2 diabetes, and to the full DS for those who are both diabetic and obese. Just that, as always, there are risks both with and without surgery and the patient's individual situation, and what that person wants out of life, has to be taken into account.