Diabetes Research and Care Through the Ages

Abstract

As has been well established, the Diabetes Care journal’s most visible signature event is the Diabetes Care Symposium held each year during the American Diabetes Association’s Scientific Sessions. Held this past year on 10 June 2017 in San Diego, California, at the 77th Scientific Sessions, this event has become one of the most attended sessions during the Scientific Sessions. Each year, in order to continue to have the symposium generate interest, we revise the format and content of this event. For this past year, our 6th annual symposium, I felt it was time to provide a comprehensive overview of our efforts in diabetes care to determine, first and foremost, how we arrived at our current state of management. I also felt the narrative needed to include the current status of management, especially with a focus toward cardiovascular disease, and finally, we wanted to ask what the future holds. Toward this goal, I asked four of the most noted experts in the world to provide their opinion on this topic. The symposium started with a very thoughtful presentation by Dr. Jay Skyler entitled “A Look Back as to How We Got Here.” That was followed by two lectures on current concepts by Dr. Bernard Zinman entitled “Current Treatment Paradigms Today—How Well Are We Doing?” and by Dr. Matthew Riddle entitled “Evolving Concepts and Future Directions for Cardiovascular Outcomes Trials.” The final lecture for the symposium was delivered by Dr. Ele Ferrannini and was entitled “What Does the Future Hold?” As always, a well-attended and well-received symposium is now the norm for our signature event and our efforts were rewarded by the enthusiasm of the attendees. This narrative summarizes the lectures held at the symposium. —William T. Cefalu Chief Scientific, Medical & Mission Officer, American Diabetes Association