Diabetes Association Report Details Event Response and Planned Changes

The American Diabetes Association’s review of an incident at its 2026 Scientific Sessions found that unclear event rules and gaps in communication contributed to the removal of three physicians. The association says the content of materials distributed at the meeting did not influence its response. It has apologized to the physicians and outlined changes to event procedures, security practices and board governance.

The Audit and Governance Committee’s report covers events before, during and after the association’s June 5 meeting in New Orleans. The association says the committee conducted dozens of interviews and examined written and video evidence. It has made the full report available, allowing readers to consult the committee’s findings directly.

What the review found

Before the meeting, the association received a written threat warning of a planned protest and disruption. That message raised concerns about the safety of attendees and staff. The report also identified a gap in the association’s code of conduct: it did not clearly prohibit distributing materials inside the convention center.

Communication between event security personnel and association staff could have been clearer about the activities of three of the five people whose badges were rescinded: Drs. Maureen Gannon, Steven Kahn and Desmond Schatz. The committee concluded that the three likely should not have been removed from the event.

The report says the material at issue was an editorial objecting to cuts in research funding. Its subject and content played no role in the association’s actions, according to the committee. The security vendor had not seen the material before alerting staff to the incident and did not know what it contained.

The committee also addressed whether the physicians’ First Amendment rights were violated. It concluded they were not, because the meeting took place at a private event in a leased conference facility. That finding is specific to the circumstances described in the report.

Apology and planned changes

After the committee presented its findings to the association’s board of directors, CEO Charles “Chuck” Henderson apologized to Gannon, Kahn and Schatz. He said the circumstances of their removal and the personal and professional effects they experienced were regrettable, particularly given their standing in the scientific and medical community.

Henderson also apologized for the impact of the June 5 events and the association’s response on the diabetes community. He said the organization intends to work toward restoring trust, with a focus on transparency and accountability.

The association plans to work with its publications’ editorial boards to reinforce editorial independence. It also intends to revise event rules and its code of conduct. The planned revisions will clarify when materials can be distributed and create opportunities for public discussion. The association says updated rules will be included in communications before meetings and made easy to find at events.

Other planned steps focus on how staff and security handle disruptions. The association says it will develop clearer response procedures for staff and rehearse them before meetings. It also plans to reassess its conference security arrangements and ensure contracted on-site security personnel receive training on the association’s procedures for disruptions that do not pose an immediate threat to life.

The board will also undertake a strategic review of its governance practices and bylaws. In a separate leadership matter, board chair James Tai resigned effective the week before the announcement. The board appointed chair-elect Sean Pittman to serve the remainder of Tai’s term.

The association has also said it will involve its science and medicine community in defining the priorities and qualifications for its next chief scientific and medical officer. Pittman thanked the committee for its review and said the board hopes the organization can rebuild trust while serving the diabetes community.

What remains to be seen

The report documents the committee’s conclusions and the association’s announced response. The planned revisions and training may address specific weaknesses identified in the review, but the announcement does not establish how those changes will work in practice or whether they will prevent similar confusion at future meetings. The association has not provided a timeline for completing each step in the source material.

For people who attend professional conferences, the episode highlights why clear rules, accessible event guidance and well-practiced staff procedures matter. The association’s next updates will show how it turns its commitments into written standards and day-to-day practices. Its website provides information about its work and programs.