Diabetes Therapeutic Breakthroughs and Advancements

The Impact of Technology, Personalized Medicine, and Updated Guidelines

Affecting over 38 million Americans, diabetes is indeed an epidemic of staggering proportions. 97.6 million Americans are living with prediabetes. Whether it is Type 1, Type 2, or pre-diabetes, there are many things a person can do to stay on the right treatment path and turn their situation into a manageable one. Many care advancements have been made (Diabetes Research, Education, Advocacy | ADA, 2025).

Advancements in technology, personalized medicine, and updated guidelines are expected to significantly improve diabetes management and patient outcomes in 2025. New recommendations, part of the newly released Standards of Care In Diabetes – 2025, as put forth by the American Diabetes Association in December 2024, focus on nutrition, weight-loss medications, and technology. The Standards of Care are the gold standard in diabetes evidence-based guidelines. The Standards provide guidance in diagnosing and managing prediabetes and diabetes. They are based on the latest scientific research and insights gleaned from clinical trials (The American Diabetes Association Releases Standards of Care in Diabetes—2025 | American Diabetes Association, 2025).

The updated Standards cover strategies for diagnosing diabetes in adolescents and adults, recommendations for treating the disease, methods for prevention of Type 2 diabetes, and prevention of and treatment of the related comorbidities that often accompany Type 2, including obesity (American Diabetes Association, 2025).

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As highlighted by the ADA, Notable updates to the Standards of Care in Diabetes—2025 include:

• Consideration of continuous glucose monitor (CGM) use for adults with type 2 diabetes on glucose-lowering agents other than insulin.
• Guidance on actions to take during circumstances of medication unavailability, such as medication shortages.
• Additional guidance on the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists beyond weight loss for heart and kidney health benefits.
• Guidance on continuation of weight management pharmacotherapy beyond reaching weight loss goals.
• Guidance for treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) with moderate or advanced liver fibrosis using a thyroid hormone receptor-beta agonist.
• Emphasis on the use of antibody-based screening for presymptomatic type 1 diabetes in those who have a family history or known genetic risk.
• Guidance on the use of recreational cannabis for type 1 diabetes and those with other forms of diabetes at risk for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
• Key updates highlight potentially harmful medications in pregnancy and guidance for appropriately modifying the care plan.
• Expanded nutrition guidance to encourage evidence-based eating patterns, including those incorporating plant-based proteins and fiber, that keep nutrient quality, total calories, and metabolic goals in mind.
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The key takeaways from the new guidelines highlight screenings and preventative actions, a heightened approach to personalized medicine, and a revolution in care provided by advancements in technologies. While diabetes care has leveraged these strategies for some years, it is clear that as the advancements continue to improve, so does the outlook for patient care, and better health. Many of these enhancements can be implemented by caregivers or the patients themselves.

Screening and Prevention:

There is an increased emphasis on screening for presymptomatic type 1 diabetes in individuals with a family history or known genetic risk. Early detection and intervention can help delay or prevent the onset of diabetes (ADA, 2025).

Personalized Medicine:

There is a growing focus on personalized medicine, which tailors treatment plans to the individual’s genetic makeup, lifestyle, and other factors. This approach aims to improve the effectiveness of treatments and reduce the risk of complications (ElSayed et al., 2024).

Technological Advancements:

Technology is set to revolutionize diabetes care in several significant ways. Key advancements such as the further development of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) which now provide real-time glucose readings and trends, help patients make informed decisions on factors such as diet and exercise, and insulin use. This promotes better glucose control and reduces hypoglycemic events. Insulin pumps and automated insulin delivery systems are now often integrated with CGMs and can adjust insulin delivery according to glucose readings. This is a closed loop system, essentially an artificial pancreas, and reduces the burden of glucose management and improves control (Edelman et al., 2023).

Furthermore, digital health apps are able to support diabetes management. Tracking everything from physical activity to glucose levels, food intake and water consumption, health apps help personalize feedback and improve patient-provider communications (Fleming et al, 2019).
Telemedicine, Artificial Intelligence-AI, and wearable tech round out technology’s impact on diabetes care and management. Remote care has opened up access to care and access to specialists for rural and underserved areas’ patients (Huang et al., 2023). Large data sets such as what is being collected by CGMs and insulin pumps are being analyzed by AI helping to predict glucose trends and highlight patterns allowing for more personalized treatment recommendations (Edelman et al., 2023).

These technological advancements are expected to enhance the quality of life for individuals with diabetes by improving glucose control, reducing complications, and making diabetes management more convenient and effective. Anyone who cares for a person with diabetes would benefit from embracing these tools.

The American Diabetes Association has been leading the initiatives for developing guidelines and reflecting the most current thoughts of the diabetes care field (ElSayed et al., 2024). The ADA provides updates to the Standards of Care each year through the work of it’s Professional Practice Committee (PPC). Consisting of physicians, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, care and education specialists, the PPC is a global committee of diverse professionals. The 2025 Standards of Care has been endorsed by the American College of Cardiology, American Geriatrics Society, American Society of Bone and Mineral Research, and the Obesity Society (American Diabetes Association, 2025).

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References:

Diabetes Research, Education, Advocacy | ADA. (2025). Diabetes.org. https://diabetes.org/

Edelman, S., Cheatham, W. W., Norton, A., & Close, K. L. (2023). Patient Perspectives on the Benefits and Challenges of Diabetes and Digital Technology. Clinical Diabetes, 42(2), 243–256. https://doi.org/10.2337/cd23-0003

ElSayed, N. A., McCoy, R. G., Grazia Aleppo, Bajaj, M., Kirthikaa Balapattabi, Beverly, E. A., Early, K. B., Bruemmer, D., Callaghan, B. C., Cusi, K., Das, S. R., Osagie Ebekozien, Echouffo-Tcheugui, J. B., Eichorst, B., Laya Ekhlaspour, Fleming, T. K., Frykberg, R. G., Gaglia, J. L., Galindo, R. J., & Garg, R. (2024). Summary of Revisions: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2025. Diabetes Care, 48(Supplement_1), S6–S13. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc25-srev

Fleming, G. A., Petrie, J. R., Bergenstal, R. M., Holl, R. W., Peters, A. L., & Heinemann, L. (2019). Diabetes Digital App Technology: Benefits, Challenges, and Recommendations. A Consensus Report by the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Diabetes Technology Working Group. Diabetes Care, 43(1), 250–260. https://doi.org/10.2337/dci19-0062

Huang, E. S., Sinclair, A., Conlin, P. R., Tali Cukierman-Yaffe, Hirsch, I. B., Huisingh-Scheetz, M., Kahkoska, A. R., Laffel, L., Lee, A. K., Lee, S., Lipska, K., Graydon Meneilly, Pandya, N., Peek, M. E., Peters, A., Pratley, R. E., Sherifali, D., Toschi, E., Umpierrez, G., & Weinstock, R. S. (2023). The Growing Role of Technology in the Care of Older Adults With Diabetes. Diabetes Care, 46(8), 1455–1463. https://doi.org/10.2337/dci23-0021

The American Diabetes Association Releases Standards of Care in Diabetes—2025 | American Diabetes Association. (2025). Diabetes.org. https://diabetes.org/newsroom/press-releases/american-diabetes-association-releases-standards-care-diabetes-2025