The American Diabetes Association boycott that began in September 2026 has put one of the most trusted names in diabetes care into the headlines. Hundreds of doctors, researchers, and former ADA leaders have stepped back from the organization’s meetings, journals, and committees. If you live with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and rely on the ADA for guidance, it’s natural to wonder whether any of this affects you.
This article explains what happened, why researchers and clinicians are protesting, where the ADA stands, and what it all means for your day-to-day care. The short version: the boycott by itself is not a reason to change how you manage your diabetes.
Jump to: Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Answer: Does the ADA Boycott Affect My Diabetes Care?
- Your treatment guidelines haven’t changed. The ADA Standards of Care 2026 remain the ADA’s current recommendations, including the guidance behind your A1c goal.
- The boycott doesn’t change your medicines or devices. It does not change FDA approvals, prescriptions, or insurance coverage for your insulin, GLP-1 medicines, continuous glucose monitor, or insulin pump.
- It’s a dispute inside the ADA. Many of the ADA’s own professional members are protesting how leadership handled an incident at its June 2026 conference.
- Long-term effects are uncertain. Boycotters have stopped work on journals and position statements, which could slow some ADA publications if the dispute continues.
- What to do: Keep following your current plan and bring any questions to your care team. Stopping or changing medicines on your own can lead to high blood sugar.
What happened at the ADA’s June 2026 conference?
Every year, the ADA holds a large meeting called the Scientific Sessions, where doctors and researchers share the newest diabetes research. The 2026 meeting took place in New Orleans.
On June 5, Dr. Steven Kahn, editor-in-chief of ADA’s Diabetes Care research journal, and four other well-known diabetes researchers and clinicians, including past ADA leaders Dr. Maureen Gannon, Dr. Aaron Kelly, Dr. Justin Ryder, and Dr. Desmond Schatz, were physically escorted out of the meeting. They had been handing out copies of an April 29 Diabetes Care editorial outside a hall where National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya had been scheduled to speak. He ultimately did not give the address, and NIH senior adviser Dr. Richard Woychik spoke instead.
On June 10, ADA CEO Charles “Chuck” Henderson apologized to the five researchers in a video statement and announced that the events would be reviewed.
Were the researchers removed by police?
The people who escorted the researchers out wore New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) uniforms. The ADA says no one from the organization called NOPD and that the uniformed officers were working as contracted event security. Early news reports described a police removal, so you may see both versions online.
MedPage Today posted a short video of the removal, filmed from the perspective of the researchers who were escorted out. It is the longest available footage of the incident. It shows some people in police uniforms and others who appear to be regular security staff, so it doesn’t settle the question. Watch the MedPage Today video (YouTube)
What is the timeline of the ADA controversy?
| Date (2026) | What happened |
|---|---|
| June 5 | Five ADA members removed from the Scientific Sessions |
| June 10 | CEO Chuck Henderson apologizes and announces a review |
| July 21 | 500+ current and former members call for leadership changes and an independent investigation |
| Sept. 1 | ADA Audit and Governance Committee releases initial findings |
| Sept. 6 | ADA says the board will get more information that could clarify or correct those findings |
| Sept. 9–10 | Boycott announced; Diabetes Care editors suspend their review work |
| Sept. 11 | More than 400 boycott signers reported |
| Sept. 16 | John Buse reports about 1,200 pledges; final ADA report pending |
Why are diabetes researchers and clinicians boycotting the ADA?
Frustration built over the summer. On July 21, more than 500 current and former ADA members signed an open letter to the ADA board, according to the September boycott letter. They called for leadership changes, including the resignation of Henderson and the chief scientific and medical officer, Dr. Rita Kalyani, along with a truly independent investigation, an unconditional public apology to the five researchers, and the restoration of editorial independence for Diabetes Care. The ADA asked members to be patient while a report was prepared.
What did the ADA’s review find?
On September 1, the ADA’s Audit and Governance Committee released its findings. The committee concluded that:
- The five researchers were removed because their conduct disrupted the meeting and broke the attendee code of conduct.
- The content of the editorial they were handing out had nothing to do with their removal.
- Security staff acted appropriately.
- There were “communication shortcomings,” which the ADA plans to fix with better communication, more staff training, and updated policies for large meetings.
The ADA describes the committee’s investigation as an independent review. Critics dispute that description because the committee is part of the ADA’s own governance structure rather than an outside organization. On September 6, the ADA described the September 1 conclusions as “initial findings” and said the board would receive additional information that could clarify or correct them. The ADA’s final report and the board’s response in the coming weeks will shape what happens next.
What the boycott involves
A boycott letter dated September 9 asked professionals to step away from nearly all ADA work. Signers pledged not to:
- Attend ADA meetings led by its leadership or board, including the 2027 Scientific Sessions in Washington, D.C.
- Present at ADA events or help with fundraisers
- Review grant applications or research papers
- Submit papers to, or help manage, ADA journals
- Help write ADA position statements
The condition for ending the boycott is narrower than the July demands. Signers say they will remain out until the ADA board permits a formal review of the organization’s overall structure and functions, led by an independent academic leader and focused on ensuring the ADA properly represents its professional members.
How many people have joined?
By September 11, more than 400 people had signed, including former ADA presidents, award winners, committee members, journal editors, and people living with diabetes. By September 16, Dr. John Buse, a deputy editor of Diabetes Care, told Skift Meetings that about 1,200 people had pledged support. Organizers say they chose a boycott rather than resigning because they still support the ADA’s mission and want to push for reform from within. Some have said they may shift to other professional groups if their demands aren’t met.
What is happening with the Diabetes Care journal?
Diabetes Care is the ADA’s flagship medical journal. It publishes major diabetes research, and it’s also where the ADA publishes its yearly Standards of Care.
Four of the journal’s editors joined the boycott: Dr. Steven Kahn, Dr. Cheryl Anderson of UC San Diego, Dr. John Buse of the University of North Carolina, and Dr. Elizabeth Selvin of Johns Hopkins. These are the same four editors who wrote the June editorial at the center of the dispute. They posted a notice saying that review of new research papers was paused starting September 10. That notice was later removed. The ADA currently states that its journals continue to accept and review manuscripts, although the protesting editors say they have suspended their own editorial review work. Right now, the two sides describe the journal’s status differently.
The Endocrine Society, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE), the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES), and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) all publish reliable information.
Why this matters to you
Before a study is published, peer reviewers assess its quality. If reviews slow down, some new research could take longer to reach doctors. Published research is not affected.
How does NIH federal research funding fit into this?
The dispute began with an editorial about federal research funding. The NIH is one of the largest funders of diabetes research in the United States.
What did the Diabetes Care editorial say?
The editorial, titled “Misguided Brushes of a Pen Continue to Dismantle and Destroy Biomedical Research in the United States,” was published online April 29 and appeared in the June 2026 issue of Diabetes Care. Its authors are the journal’s four top editors: Dr. Steven Kahn, Dr. Cheryl Anderson, Dr. John Buse, and Dr. Elizabeth Selvin. They note that these are their personal views, not the ADA’s. The authors argue that:
- NIH changes may slow research. Congress rejected deep cuts in 2026, but staff layoffs, delays in filling expert advisory councils, far fewer funding announcements, and a policy of paying for multiyear grants up front may lead to fewer new studies each year.
- Diabetes care has depended on NIH research. They cite NIH-funded studies that changed treatment, including the DCCT trial in type 1 diabetes, the Diabetes Prevention Program, and TrialNet research that led to teplizumab, a drug that can delay the onset of type 1 diabetes.1
- People should speak up. They urge readers to contact Congress and ask health organizations to speak out publicly.
Read the full editorial in Diabetes Care
The Administration’s View
The administration’s 2027 budget request proposes $41.5 billion for NIH, about $5 billion, or 10.8%, below the comparable 2026 enacted level. It also calls for a substantial restructuring of NIH, including consolidating, transferring, or eliminating several institutes and centers.
In its budget document, NIH says it must reestablish public trust and refocus on the chronic diseases affecting Americans. NIH also says paying for grants up front will free more money for new research each year once older grants phase out. At a May 2026 Senate hearing, NIH Director Bhattacharya said the proposed cut was needed to “right size” the federal budget. Lawmakers from both parties have questioned the cuts.
How does this connect to the boycott?
The ADA’s position is that the five researchers were removed because of their conduct, not the editorial’s message. Boycott supporters see the incident as a matter of scientific free expression and of how the ADA is governed. This article doesn’t take a side in the funding debate. We include it because it’s part of how the dispute began.
What could change later?
The ADA says its programs and initiatives continue without interruption. However, guidelines and research depend on volunteer clinicians and researchers. Because the boycott includes position statements, manuscript reviews, and grant reviews, a prolonged dispute could slow some future ADA publications or research funding. It’s too early to know whether that will happen.
Remember, the tools you use to manage diabetes haven’t changed. You can keep managing your health with confidence while this dispute plays out.
Helpful Resources & Research
- ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes — professional.diabetes.org/standards-of-care
- ADA statement: Audit and Governance Committee findings (Sept. 1, 2026) — diabetes.org newsroom
- ADA statement: Board to receive additional information (Sept. 6, 2026) — diabetes.org newsroom
- Kahn SE, Anderson CAM, Buse JB, Selvin E. Diabetes Care 2026;49:901–905 (the editorial distributed at the meeting) — Read the editorial
- Healio: Diabetes leaders announce ADA boycott — healio.com
- Retraction Watch: Turmoil at Diabetes Care — retractionwatch.com
- NIH FY2027 Congressional Justification, budget overview — officeofbudget.od.nih.gov
- COSSA: NIH Director defends FY2027 budget to Senate appropriators — cossa.org
- NIDDK diabetes information for patients — niddk.nih.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the American Diabetes Association boycott?
It’s a protest by hundreds (some counts about 1,200) of diabetes doctors, researchers, former ADA leaders, and people with diabetes who have stopped participating in most ADA activities. It began on September 9–10, 2026, after a dispute over how the ADA handled the removal of five researchers from its June conference. Organizers want an independent review of how the ADA is run.
Why were five researchers removed from the ADA conference?
On June 5, 2026, five researchers were escorted out of the ADA Scientific Sessions in New Orleans while handing out a Diabetes Care editorial that criticized federal research funding cuts. The ADA’s review found they were removed for disruptive conduct, not the editorial’s content. The researchers and their supporters dispute that finding.
Does the ADA boycott change my diabetes treatment?
No. The boycott itself doesn’t change FDA approvals, prescriptions, insurance coverage, or current treatment guidelines. Keep following your plan and talk with your care team if you have questions.
What is Diabetes Care, and is it still publishing?
Diabetes Care is the ADA’s flagship medical journal. Four of its editors joined the boycott and paused review of new papers on September 10, but the ADA says the journal is still accepting and reviewing submissions. Already published research is not affected.
What did the Diabetes Care editorial say?
Written by the journal’s four top editors, the June 2026 editorial argues that budget cuts and policy changes at the NIH are slowing diabetes research. It points to NIH-funded studies that changed diabetes care and urges readers to contact Congress. The authors note these are their personal views, not the ADA’s.
What do the boycott organizers want?
The boycott will continue until the ADA board allows a formal review of the organization’s structure and function, led by an independent academic leader. Earlier, in July, members also called for leadership changes, an independent investigation, and an apology. Organizers say they still support the ADA’s mission.
What has the ADA said about the boycott?
The ADA says its mission remains unchanged and its programs continue without interruption. It says it is awaiting the board’s final findings and recommendations before deciding on next steps.
Will the 2027 ADA Scientific Sessions still happen?
The ADA says the 2027 meeting in Washington, D.C., is going ahead as planned. However, many boycott signers have pledged not to attend or present, so the meeting may look different.
Where else can I find trusted diabetes information?
Your care team is the best place to start. The Endocrine Society, AACE, ADCES, and NIDDK also publish reliable, up-to-date diabetes information.
Last Updated on September 28, 2026