August 1, 2024
Dr. Robert Gabbay MD, PhD, FACP, the Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the American Diabetes Association (ADA), declared his resignation in a LinkedIn post shared two weeks ago. The ADA has confirmed the resignation via email, but there has been no press release or official announcement from the ADA addressing his resignation or succession plan.
Gabbay announced he would step down from his four-year role in September of this year. This announcement came as a surprise to the T1D community and, perhaps, the ADA. Given the profound importance of Gabbay’s work, which we believe is amongst the most valuable work done by the ADA, we are surprised and concerned that the ADA is not on top of this.
We delayed publishing this report to give the ADA time to communicate the resignation formally. However, after two weeks, there remains no formal communication we can identify. This is a risk for all of us in the T1D community. Leadership continuity is imperative to retain quality, and a lack of communication from the ADA creates a void of ambiguity, fosters speculation, and creates a sense of internal turbulence. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the CEO and the board leaders to ensure that the ADA is buttoned up, which is so very important when we are dealing with lives.
Gabbay’s Impact
Gabbay has had a remarkable, influential career. He received his B.Sc. degree from McGill University and his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin, where he published on insulin signaling. He later attained his medical degree from the State University of New York at Brooklyn School of Medicine. Dr. Gabbay was a visiting scientist at MIT, a Professor of Medicine at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, and the founding director of the Penn State Institute of Diabetes and Obesity.
Immediately before joining the ADA, Gabbay served as the Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President at Joslin Diabetes Center and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. Gabbay’s work held international interest as he led efforts to create more effective patient-centered care models focused on improving patient experiences through education and intervention.
Gabbay led some of the most critical and essential activities of the ADA. As Chief Medical Officer, he led the Standards of Care publications, oversaw the Scientific Sessions—renowned for being one of the largest and most significant diabetes conferences globally—drove advocacy for diabetes innovation, and ensured ongoing training for medical professionals. In these areas specifically, the ADA shines in a way that truly benefits diabetes—regardless of type. By most accounts, Gabbay did an excellent job leading and growing the impact of these programs.
What’s Next for the ADA?
Gabbay’s departure is a unique circumstance, both for its abrupt timing and lack of communication from the ADA. Typically, when a leader leaves his or her position, a buttoned-up organization proactively communicates this in real time. An official statement, public announcement, or press release from the organization is provided and a successor—permanent or interim—is named. As of today, the ADA still has not made an announcement. Medscape, an independent publication, noted that “plans to launch a search for its new chief scientific and medical officer” are just now in the works.
When JDCA asked the ADA for a statement, they replied, “Dr. Gabbay has made a personal decision to leave the ADA. The decision will provide him flexibility to travel the world and embrace a part-time digital nomad lifestyle. He will continue to provide strong leadership and expertise at the ADA until his departure in September. The ADA is grateful to Dr. Gabbay for his tremendous contributions to the organization and all people affected by diabetes.”
We do not and cannot know the situation behind this set of circumstances, aside from what little has been shared on social media. By not mentioning a clear leader, it seems the ADA is caught out of sync, raising questions about leadership. Why hasn’t the CEO made a public statement and announced a successor?
The programs Gabbay spearheaded are the backbone of the ADA, and without a clear succession plan, the future strength of these programs is put into question. A Practical Cure for T1D should not be delayed due to disjointed managerial issues that should have been addressed two weeks ago.
