CHANDIGARH: For decades, type 2 diabetes has been viewed as a lifelong, irreversiblecondition—requiring daily medication, strict dietary control, and constant lifestyle management.But new hope is emerging from India’s Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research(PGIMER), Chandigarh, where a clinical study has shown that remission—yes, remission—may
be possible through a carefully designed and practical strategy.
A Life Sentence—Until Now
Type 2 diabetes, which affects millions globally and has become a growing health concern inIndia, has long been seen as a chronic disease without a cure. Patients are often told they must
manage it for life, with pills and blood sugar logs becoming permanent companions.But what if there was a chance to hit reset?Remission” is the term scientists are now using—meaning a return to normal blood sugar levelswith HbA1c < 6.5 % without any diabetes medication for at least three months.
A Made-in-India Approach with Global PromiseLed by Dr. Rama Walia, a team of researchers at PGIMER launched the DiaRem-1 study,aiming to explore whether tight blood sugar control using modern medicines, combined withlifestyle changes, could push the disease into remission. What makes their work stand out is thatit did not rely on extreme weight loss diets or costly surgeries, which are often impractical formany patients.
They selected adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the past five years, whose blood sugarwas still reasonably controlled. For three months, these participants were placed on a
combination of proven diabetes medications and guided through diet and physical activity. Afterthat, all medications were stopped, and for the following three months, researchers monitored
whether their blood sugar levels could remain in the normal range—drug-free.

�� Fast Facts: Diabetes Remission and the PGIMER Study
• Definition of Remission: HbA1c <6.5% for at least 3 months without diabetes medications
(as per international consensus)
• Study Name: DiaRem-1, PGIMER Chandigarh
• Participants: 29 adults, type 2 diabetes <5 years
• Treatment Period: 3 months on medication + lifestyle plan → 3 months off medication

• Remission Rate: 31% remained drug-free with normal blood sugar
• Result: Both modern and standard drugs helped when tightly managed
• Goal: Not a cure, but a realistic and hopeful path to freedom from drugs

In the fight against diabetes, this research marks a turning point. Being newly diagnosed may nolonger mean a lifetime on medication. The message is clear: with the right early steps, it may be
possible not just to manage diabetes—but to step beyond it.