OBJECTIVES: The aim of the empirical study is to evaluate patients’ preferences for different characteristics of treatment in type2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). As T2DM treatment asks for strict adherence, patient’s needs and preferences should be taken into consideration. METHODS: Based on a qualitative and quantitative analysis a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) was applied to identify patient preferences. Apart from six identical attributes (adjustment of glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c], prevention of hypoglycemia, risk of genital infection, risk of gastrointestinal problems, risk of urinary tract infection and weight change) one continuous variable of either healthy life years equivalents (HYE) or money equivalents (ME) was included. The DCE was conducted using a fractional factorial design and the statistical data analysis used random effect logit models. RESULTS: In total N=626 (N=318 HYE + N=308 ME) T2DM patients participated in the survey. The estimation revealed a clear dominance for prevention of hypoglycemia (coefficient: 0,937) and adjustment of HbA1c (coefficient: 0,541). The attributes, additional healthy life years (coefficient: 0,458) or additional cost (coefficient: 0,420) were in the middle rank and both of significant impact. The side effects, risk of genital infection (coefficient: 0,301), risk of gastrointestinal problems (coefficient: 0,296) and risk of urinary tract infection (coefficient: 0,241) followed in this order. Possible weight change (coefficient: 0,047) was of less importance (last rank) to the patients in this evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: These survey results demonstrate how much a treatment characteristic of a (hypothetical) oral diabetes treatment affects the treatment decision Understanding how patients perceive and value different aspects of oral T2DM treatment is vital to the optimal design and evaluation of treatment options. (IB 209403011/14)