As we enter 2026, we do so with a strong sense of purpose and clarity about where we are headed. Our commitment to people living with diabetes and to our mission is as powerful as ever. We are focusing our energy on what matters most, centering the work that directly advances equity, access, and the voices of our community. This sharpening of priorities is not about doing less. It is about doing the right work, together.

We know that real change begins with people organizing, sharing their stories, and building collective power. Policy victories grow from movements, and our movement is vibrant, global, and grounded in lived experience. That is why in 2026 our focus will be on movement building and connection, strengthening the foundations that make lasting change possible.

With the release of our long-term plan in 2025, our message and our strategy came into even clearer focus. In 2026, we build on that clarity and momentum. 

2026 will be the year of Public Pharma.

Public Pharma is the idea that essential medicines, just like clean drinking water or education of young people, should serve the public good rather than private profit. It recognizes that health is a human right, not a commodity, and that governments have both the responsibility and the capacity to produce or provide medicines that people need at prices they can afford. When medicines are publicly manufactured, publicly governed, and publicly accountable, power shifts away from corporations and toward communities. Public Pharma is ultimately a democratic act. It says that people matter more than shareholders, and that no one should die or ration insulin because someone else stands to benefit financially from their suffering. See more how to take action with our Public Pharma toolkit, our public PBM toolkit, as well as our training, and blog posts on our work in Brazil, Pakistan,New York, Michigan, and Connecticut.

In 2026 we will build the grassroots, patient-led movement necessary to make Public Pharma a reality. We will keep informing the public by conducting the 2026 Out-of-Pocket Expenses and Rationing Survey, continuing to document the real cost of diabetes and the human consequences of high prices. We will deepen engagement through social media, email, webinars, in-person gatherings, and media work, sharing stories and tools that people can use in their own communities. We will also continue educating policymakers so they understand not only what Public Pharma is but why it leads to greater accessibility, affordability, and quality of care.

We will support people taking action where they live. Our new Public Pharma Mobilization and Public Pharma Working Group will connect local advocates and chapters who are ready to organize and push for change in their own states or countries. Even as resources are tight, we will not step away from the global conversations and campaigns that shape access to insulin and diabetes supplies.

We will continue to confront corporate power directly. That means calling out the influence of pharmaceutical companies, challenging profiteering, and demonstrating in person and online when necessary. It also means continuing to tell the truth: price-gouging is a policy choice, rationing is the predictable outcome of unaffordable care, and lives are on the line.

At the same time, we are committed to transforming how people think about the role of government and corporations. We will keep lifting up the idea that Public Pharma is both practical and powerful. We will organize with transparency, participation, collaboration, and clear communication. We know that people have more impact together than alone, so we will prioritize building strong groups and coalitions, especially among those committed to our shared Public Pharma goals. We will bring new people into our community, support developing leaders, and connect advocates globally who are pushing for the implementation of the Global Diabetes Compact Goals and Essential Medicines Lists.

To sustain this work, we must also strengthen our foundation. In 2026, we will invest in accessible and resilient infrastructure, rebuild and update our website, assess vendors, and audit our platforms to ensure that they are efficient, compliant, and cost-effective. We will continue rigorous operational management, including financial reviews, legal compliance, and transparency reporting. We will onboard new trustees who bring global perspective and lived experience, cultivate new donors and funders, and maintain strong and equitable organizational culture for our team and volunteers. We will also work deliberately to diversify revenue so that nearly half of our budget comes from non-foundation sources, all while refusing pharmaceutical industry funding so that our advocacy remains independent and uncompromised.

We accomplished a lot in 2025. We know the year ahead will not be easy. But we also know who we are. We are a global community led by people living with diabetes who refuse to accept a world where insulin is unaffordable, inaccessible, or both. This year will be the year we focus on Public Pharma as a growing global movement. We believe in a world where everyone with diabetes, no matter where they live, has everything they need to survive and achieve their dreams. And we believe that Public Pharma is a promising path to get there.