The removal of five diabetes specialists from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) conference last month has sparked ongoing controversy. Over 200 members are now demanding the resignation of two ADA leaders. In response, the ADA issued a statement on Tuesday, thanking members for their patience as they prepare a report.
An open letter sent last week to the ADA board of directors demands the resignation of CEO Charles Henderson and Chief Scientific and Medical Officer Rita Kalyani. The letter also calls for an independent investigation into the 2026 Scientific Sessions held in New Orleans, a formal apology to the five expelled colleagues, and the reinstatement of editorial independence at the ADA’s scientific journal, Diabetes Care.
“It has now been more than 45 days since the incident at the 2026 Scientific Sessions, and the ADA Board of Directors has still taken no meaningful action to hold leadership accountable, issue a genuine apology, or restore trust with the membership,” the open letter stated. “The ADA was founded by physicians and scientists who understood that this organization’s strength flows from the community it serves — not from the administrators who happen to run it. That community is now telling its Board, in the clearest terms available, that the current path is unsustainable. We ask that they change the organization now.”
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