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Richard K. Bernstein

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For other people named Richard Bernstein, see Richard Bernstein (disambiguation).
Richard K. Bernstein
Caucasian male with shortwhite hair and wire-rimmed glasses, smiling; wearing black short-sleeved tee-shirt
Richard Bernstein, MD (age 84)
Born(1934-06-17)June 17, 1934
New York City, U.S.
DiedApril 15, 2025(2025-04-15) (aged 90)
EducationColumbia University (BA, BS)
Albert Einstein College of Medicine (MD)
Alma materThe Franklin School
Known forAdvocacy for a low-carbohydrate diet
pioneering self-testing of blood sugar[1]
Medical career
ProfessionFamily physician
FieldDiabetology

Richard K. Bernstein (June 17, 1934 – April 15, 2025) was an American physician and an advocate for a low-carbohydrate diet and self-testing of blood glucose to help achieve normal blood sugars for diabetics. Bernstein had type 1 diabetes. His private medical practice in Mamaroneck, New York was devoted solely to treating diabetes and prediabetes.

Life and career

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Bernstein attended The Franklin School, a college prep school on Upper West Side of Manhattan, graduating in 1950.[2] He then attended Columbia College, initially majoring in physics, then changing his major to mathematics.[3] He graduated with his B.A. in 1954; and then he received a B.S. in engineering in 1955.[2][3]

After graduating, Bernstein worked as an industrial-management engineer and director of research, development and marketing for Clay Adams, a manufacturer and supplier of medical laboratory equipment. He then became director of corporate planning at National Silver Industries, an importer and manufacturer of housewares.[4][5]

Bernstein was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 12 in 1946.[1] In 1969, he sought to acquire a blood glucose testing kit, which at the time were only sold to doctors. At the time, he was a systems engineer. He bought a blood glucose meter manufactured by Miles Laboratories.[3] Because he was not a doctor the meter was issued to his wife, who was a psychiatrist. He adapted the meter to make it portable.[5] He became the first diabetic patient to monitor his own blood sugar.[6][7]

Bernstein's efforts to publish articles on his experience in medical journals were rejected because he was not a doctor. He applied to and was accepted at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at age 45, becoming the oldest person to be accepted to the medical school.[5] During his first year in medical school, he wrote a book detailing his self-testing method, Diabetes: The Glucograph Method for Normalizing Blood Sugar..[5] He completed medical school in 1982, then completed his internal medicine internship through New York Medical College,[2] and specialized in endocrinology.[5][a]

After his internship, he established a private clinical practice in Mamaroneck, New York,[2] where he taught his patients the treatment methods for diabetes based on his own experience.[3] Bernstein died on April 15, 2025, at the age of 90.[9] He was preceded in death by his wife, Anne E. Bernstein, MD, in 2016.[10]

Bibliography

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  • Bernstein, Richard K. (November 1, 2011), Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution: The Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars (Hardcover 4th ed.), Little, Brown & Company, ISBN 978-0-316-18269-0
  • Bernstein, Richard K. (January 3, 2005), The Diabetes Diet: Dr. Bernstein's Low-Carbohydrate Solution, Little, Brown & Company, ISBN 978-0-316-73784-5
  • Bernstein, Richard K. (November 1990), Diabetes Type II: Living a Long, Healthy Life Through Blood Sugar Normalization (1st ed.), Prentice Hall Trade
  • Bernstein, Richard K. (February 1, 1981), Diabetes: The GlucograF Method for Normalizing Blood Sugar, Crown

Endnotes

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  1. ^ Bernstein was a Fellow of the American College of Endocrinology (F.A.C.E), which recognizes achievement in Endocrinology.[2][8]

References

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  1. ^ a b Kornelis, Chris (2025). "Richard Bernstein, Who Pioneered Diabetics' Self-Monitoring of Blood Sugar, Dies at 90". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on May 9, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e "CURRICULUM VITAE:Richard K. Bernstein, M.D., F.A.C.E., F.A.C.N., F.C.C.W.S" (PDF). Diabetes-Book.com. August 3, 2009. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Roth, Margaret C. (July–September 2018). "Patient, Test Thyself". Army AL & T Magazine: 101–111.
  4. ^ "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution: The Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars by Richard K. Bernstein '54". Bookshelf - Columbia College Today. Columbia College. Retrieved 2022-06-12.
  5. ^ a b c d e Singer, Penny (1988-04-03). "Diabetic Doctor Offers a New Treatment". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-12.
  6. ^ Tonyushkina, Ksenia; Nichols, James H. (July 1, 2009). "Glucose Meters: A Review of Technical Challenges to Obtaining Accurate Results". J Diabetes Sci Technol. 3 (4): 971–980. doi:10.1177/193229680900300446. PMID 20144348. Retrieved June 27, 2025. Richard K. Bernstein was the first patient to test his blood glucose with an ARM. Medical journals at the time refused to publish this method, so Bernstein had to complete medical school at the age of 45 in order to gain attention for this method from the medical world. The idea of SMBG developed by Bernstein had to travel to Europe and Eastern Asia before it found acceptance here in the United States.
  7. ^ Mendosa, David (February 15, 2006). "History of Blood Glucose Meters: Transcripts of the Interviews". Archived from the original on June 23, 2024.
  8. ^ "Distinguish Yourself. Earn the FACE® Distinction". American Association of Clinical Endocrinology. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  9. ^ "Richard Bernstein Obituary - Forest Hills, NY". Dignity Memorial. Retrieved 2025-04-16.
  10. ^ "Obituary: Anne Bernstein". New York Times. November 8, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2025 – via Legacy.com.

Further reading

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