Advancing diabetes remission through primary care and prevention

Why primary care is central to treating and reversing type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes does not develop in isolation; it exists along a broader continuum of cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic health. In this expert interview, Dr. Sanchez explains how diabetes fits within a staged framework that begins with ideal cardiovascular health and progresses toward more complex chronic disease. Importantly, this framework is grounded in evidence showing that it is possible to move backward along that continuum, supporting remission and a return toward better health.

Dr. Sanchez emphasizes the critical role of primary care in making this shift possible. As a family physician by training, he highlights that the majority of care for conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes already occurs in primary care settings. Yet despite its central role, primary care remains under-resourced. Strengthening primary care infrastructure is essential to enabling earlier identification, timely intervention, and the effective delivery of therapeutic lifestyle interventions.

The interview also addresses the cost of inaction. Dr. Sanchez points to national projections showing that the long-term clinical and economic burden of diabetes and related chronic conditions will continue to rise without meaningful change. At the same time, he underscores that this future is not inevitable. By prioritizing prevention, investing in primary care, and advancing evidence-based approaches such as lifestyle medicine, healthcare systems can reduce costs, improve outcomes, and alter the trajectory of chronic disease for individuals and communities alike.