If it’s November, then it must be time for an issue of Endocrine News devoted entirely to the science and treatment of people living with diabetes to coincide with Diabetes Awareness Month in the United States. Each year we highlight the work of our members around the world and the research they conduct that contributes to a better understanding of diabetes which, hopefully, could one day lead to a cure.
One of the world’s leading and much lauded researchers, Daniel Drucker, MD, is featured in “Unsolved Mysteries” by Glenda Fauntleroy Shaw. No stranger to the readers of Endocrine News nor the members of the Endocrine Society, Drucker is the recipient of the Society’s 2025 Fred Conrad Koch Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honor that can be bestowed on an endocrinologist by the Endocrine Society. After four decades of diabetes research, Drucker has garnered more recent acclaim for his discoveries related to GLP-1s and their impact on obesity. However, that research started many years ago and Drucker says people still complain that he has no new ideas, a criticism he takes in stride. “That’s a valid criticism,” he acknowledges. “But for me, to see all of these fantastic new trials showing benefits in people, I really still want to understand how these medicines work.” Onward and upward.
Speaking of GLP-1s and their ilk, Kelly Horvath uncovers recent research presented at ENDO 2024 that sheds light on the safety and effectiveness of a number of diabetes medications in “Pharmaceutical Phenomena.” GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors, and DPP4 inhibitors were all scrutinized in these studies and, fortunately, most of the results were good news for people with type 2 diabetes. But clinicians prescribing these medications should be aware of specific side effects in certain populations as well as obstacles regarding patient access.
Another often confounding condition — prediabetes — was also highlighted at ENDO 2024, this time looking at its impact on certain Mexican populations and is discussed in “Beating Prediabetes.” Kelly spoke with Carlos A. Fermín-Martínez, MD, who discusses his findings and why it’s important for clinicians to screen for prediabetes, especially in susceptible populations. Fermín-Martínez was part of a diabetes-focused series of press conferences at ENDO 2024 and his research showed that prediabetes can increase the risk of dying before the age of 75, particularly due to heart disease, kidney disease, and acute diabetic complications in these examined Mexican populations. “In our study, participants were initially free of diabetes,” Fermín-Martínez says. “However, eventual development of diabetes likely accounts for a significant percentage of deaths, further highlighting that early detection and management of prediabetes is crucial to reduce mortality and cardiometabolic disease.”
Eric Seaborg looks into the steps clinicians can take to combat the abundance of counterfeit weight-loss and diabetes drugs that have flooded the market thanks to an abundance of email spam and online pop-up ads. In “All the Rage,” Eric discusses the phenomenon that GLP-1s have become as they garner celebrity endorsements and an ever-increasing demand from consumers looking for a quick weight-loss solution. Moreover, many insurance companies will not cover the cost of the drugs for the people who need them, so they’re forced to find online pharmacies with more affordable prices. “This is a challenging situation,” says Priyanka Majety, MD, assistant professor, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va. “We encounter patients every day who would greatly benefit from these medications, but their insurance won’t cover them. So, while it’s unfortunate that some patients are turning to unregulated online pharmacies to get these medications, it’s not entirely surprising.” Sadly, this article will be the last Eric will write for us since he has decided to dive into retirement. All of us at Endocrine News and the Endocrine Society wish him well and happy trails!
As always, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for topics you would like to see covered in Endocrine News, feel free to contact me at: [email protected].
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