SOURCE: American Diabetes Association

December 16, 2008 16:14 ET

American Diabetes Association Announces Retirement of Chief Scientific & Medical Officer, Dr. Richard Kahn

ALEXANDRIA, VA--(Marketwire - December 16, 2008) - The American Diabetes Association announced today that Richard A. Kahn, PhD, its Chief Scientific and Medical Officer, will be retiring in June 2009.

Kahn has been with the American Diabetes Association since 1985 and has provided senior staff oversight for the Association's research grant program, two certification programs, clinical guidelines, professional education programs, and general information resources.

Kahn will remain with the Association through its annual Scientific Sessions, the world's largest diabetes-related clinical and scientific meeting, in June. He also will consult on a number of projects for the American Diabetes Association through the end of 2009.

"No one who has worked directly with Dr. Kahn can doubt his passion for the science and medicine of diabetes, or his dedication to working toward a cure," said Larry Hausner, ADA's CEO.

Under Kahn's leadership, the Association first began publishing clinical practice guidelines. He also led the initiation of the Association's two Recognition Programs, Consensus Development Conferences and Research Symposia. His work led the effort which resulted in the first set of diabetes-specific performance measures that are now used by Medicare, Medicaid and virtually all health plans to track the delivery of quality diabetes care. In the late '90s, Kahn led the initiation of a major revision of the diagnostic criteria that are now used world-wide to diagnose diabetes, and also ushered in the concept of impaired fasting glucose.

Internationally, he began the Association's efforts to bring continuing medical education programs to many developing countries, programs that are now routinely held throughout India and the Middle East. More recently, he was instrumental in the development and implementation of the first comprehensive health risk assessment tool in medicine, which is now on the Association's website (the Diabetes PHD).

"We owe Dr. Kahn a great deal of gratitude," Hausner said. "In his long and distinguished tenure, he has been instrumental in establishing the American Diabetes Association as the authoritative voice on diabetes and his tenure has been marked by achievements that have improved the lives of people with diabetes and all those affected by diabetes."

The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight against the deadly consequences of diabetes and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit www.diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.