Robert Gabbay to Exit the American Diabetes Association

The chief scientific and medical officer of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) is stepping down after 4 years on the job.

Robert A. Gabbay, MD, PhD, announced in a video on LinkedIn that he will leave the organization in September to “dial it back a little bit. I’m going to work part time,” while joining his wife to become “part-time digital nomads, living in different cool places, still contributing to the world of diabetes, providing strategic advice to organizations that are improving the lives of people with diabetes.”

He will also continue his academic role at Harvard Medical School and providing patient care at the Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston.

In the video, Gabbay expressed pride at the accomplishments of his tenure, including the new Primary Care Alliance, the Institute of Learning, and the partnership with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to “bend the curve on diabetes and diabetes prevention.”

In a statement provided to Medscape Medical News, ADA Chief Executive Officer Charles “Chuck” Henderson said, “We owe a debt of gratitude to Dr Bob for his unwavering dedication and the profound impact he has made during his tenure. As we move forward, guided by his legacy and the enduring deep expertise of the ADA Science and Health Care team, I am confident that the ADA will continue to thrive and lead the fight against diabetes.”

The ADA plans to launch a search for its new chief scientific and medical officer, with details still to be finalized, a spokesperson told Medscape Medical News.

Miriam E. Tucker is a freelance journalist based in the Washington, DC, area. She is a regular contributor to Medscape Medical News, with other work appearing in the Washington Post, NPR’s Shots blog, and Diatribe. She is on X: @MiriamETucker.