SUMMARYThe American Diabetes Association apologized after security removed five diabetes scientists from its annual meeting in New Orleans for handing out copies of an editorial criticizing the Trump administration’s impact on biomedical research. The group included Steven Kahn of the University of Washington and former ADA president Desmond Schatz of the University of Florida. The disruption happened before an opening speech originally set for NIH head Jay Bhattacharya, who canceled at the last minute.
Amid intense backlash, the head of the American Diabetes Association posted a video Wednesday apologizing for the organization's decision on Friday to forcefully remove five leading diabetes scientists from the association's annual meeting.
The scientists were ejected for handing out copies of an April editorial—published in the ADA's own journal Diabetes Care—that sharply criticizes the Trump administration for the damage and destruction it's wreaking on biomedical research. The five scientists included Steven Kahn, professor of medicine at the University of Washington, who is the editor-in-chief of Diabetes Care and a co-author of the editorial. It also included former ADA President Desmond Schatz of the University of Florida.
The scientists were distributing the editorial outside the conference's opening speech, which was originally scheduled to be given by Jay Bhattacharya, head of the National Institutes of Health under Trump. Bhattacharya canceled at the last minute, and senior NIH official Rick Woychik took his place.