Updated Diabetes Consensus Shifts Focus from Glucose Control to Whole-Person Care

Updated consensus reports on type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) call for care that looks beyond blood glucose and toward the whole patient’s health.^1,2

The reports, in conjunction with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), emphasize continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), timely use of therapies with proven cardio-kidney benefit, psychosocial support, and equitable access to treatment.

“We as health professionals, doctors, nurses, nutritionists, pharmacists, we need to look at the patient as a whole and not just if I'm a cardiologist looking at the heart, if I'm a nephrologist looking at the kidney, endocrinologist at diabetes,” Staci-Marie Norman, PharmD, CDCES, FAPhA, recently retired pharmacist and diabetes specialist at Martin’s Pharmacy in Indiana, told Drug Topics®. “ADA this year made it a point to say that we need to be looking at the patient as a whole, every health care professional.”

With over 40 million US patients diagnosed with diabetes, alongside growing evidence of pharmacists’ immense role on diabetes care teams, the opportunity for the profession to make a significant difference in patient outcomes has long existed. In an exploration of ADA and EASD consensus reports on both T1D and T2D, learn how the world’s leading diabetes organizations are approaching the disease as 2026 comes to an end.

READ MORE: FAQ: Scaling Pharmacy Services Through GLP-1 Care | NCPA 2026

The massive scope of diabetes in the US underscores the urgent need for expanded clinical interventions across pharmacy settings. Recent data from the CDC indicates that 40.1 million Americans live with diabetes, including 29.1 million diagnosed individuals and 11 million who remain undiagnosed. Furthermore, an estimated 115.2 million adults in the US live with prediabetes.³

Beyond the human toll, economic reports highlight that diagnosed diabetes accounts for $412.9 billion in total national health care costs, comprising $306.6 billion in direct medical expenditures and $106.3 billion in indirect costs. The condition also represents the 7th leading cause of death in the US, placing pharmacists in a pivotal position to help reduce preventable complications and mortality.⁴

Expanding Technology and Holistic Care in T1D

In the updated 2026 consensus report on adults’ T1D, consensus panels expanded the scope of management beyond basic glycemic control to emphasize cardiovascular risk reduction, obesity management, and routine complication screening. CGM has officially become the standard of care for adults with T1D because it effectively lowers glycated hemoglobin and decreases time spent in hypoglycemia.¹

Automated insulin delivery (AID) systems integrate real-time sensor data with subcutaneous pumps and smart algorithms to dynamically adjust insulin delivery, reducing daily management burdens. Aligning with these findings, the 2026 ADA Standards of Care removed mandatory clinical prerequisites prior to initiating continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion or AID, enabling pharmacists to advocate for early technology adoption.^1,5

The updated guidelines also introduce targeted recommendations for managing obesity in individuals living with T1D, equipping pharmacy teams with the role of guiding complex medication regimens.⁵

Advancing Organ Protection and Cardio-Kidney Health in T2D

The 2026 consensus report on T2D marks a fundamental shift toward early, proactive disease modification and comprehensive organ protection. Recommendations advocate for the early deployment of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, often starting at initial diagnosis to protect heart and kidney function.²

These therapies confer significant cardiovascular and renal benefits that occur independently of baseline metformin usage or glycemic targets. Additionally, clinical guidance now supports CGM for individuals managing T2D, especially those utilizing insulin regimens.

With over 2.1 million Americans diagnosed with T1D and tens of millions managing T2D, pharmacists serve as accessible health care partners who can mitigate therapeutic inertia, streamline medication access, and promote whole-person health care.^2,3

“What health care professional gets to see the patient as a whole? The pharmacist,” concluded Norman in her discussion with Drug Topics. “We get to see their diabetes medications, their cardiovascular medications, their kidney medications; we see all of that. We can have a huge impact on those patients by taking them as a whole and not looking at one specific thing at a time.”

READ MORE: Diabetes Resource Center

REFERENCES

1. Holt RIG, DeVries JH, Hess-Fischl A, et al. The management of type 1 diabetes in adults. The updated 2026 consensus report by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). Diabetes Care. September 15, 2026:dci260122. doi:10.2337/dci26-0122

2. Davies MJ, Aroda VR, Bajaj M, et al. Management of type 2 Diabetes, 2026. A consensus report by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). Diabetes Care. October 2, 2026. doi:10.2337/dci26-0141

3. National diabetes statistics report. CDC. September 16, 2026. Accessed October 26, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/php/data-research/index.html

4. Statistics about diabetes. American Diabetes Association. Accessed October 26, 2026. https://diabetes.org/about-diabetes/statistics/about-diabetes

5. The American Diabetes Association releases “Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026.” American Diabetes Association. News Release. December 8, 2025. Accessed October 26, 2026. https://diabetes.org/newsroom/press-releases/american-diabetes-association-releases-standards-care-diabetes-2026