To Whom It May Concern [insert names of local congressman, senators]:

Funding for the NIH-sponsored Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study (DPPOS) was terminated on March 10th, 2025, with immediate effect. Although Columbia University is the primary recipient of this grant, more than 90% of funds go to research activities in 29 institutions outside of Columbia. Our project addresses research priorities related to prevention of diabetes and dementia, recently highlighted as a priority by the new Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.  Persons with pre-diabetes and diabetes, representing over half of the older adult population in the United States, have not been included in recent advances made in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This critical need is addressed by the DPPOS grant that was terminated. The infrastructure for this important project will collapse and our connection with the over 1700 research participants across the United States threatened if funding is not restored immediately.  We request that funding for this project be restored while negotiations between Columbia and the federal government continue to address possible violations of Title VI regulations at Columbia University. If the negotiations between Columbia and the federal government lead to an unfavorable outcome for federal funding, we request that the grant be moved to the other 29 institutions outside of Columbia. 

The following are important facts about DPPOS: 

-        The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), continued as DPPOS, established that type 2 diabetes can be prevented. The results were announced in 2002 at a press conference by Tommy Thompson, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services at the time. The DPP lifestyle program has been endorsed by and is now supported by Medicare.

-       DPPOS has turned its attention to the study of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and AD related dementias in addition to studying the long-term effects of diabetes prevention and other health conditions such as cancer, heart disease and stroke, nerve damage, kidney disease, and eye disease. 

-       DPPOS addresses the National Alzheimer’s Project Act goal to “prevent, halt, or reverse Alzheimer’s disease” in the high-risk group of persons with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes, representing over half of the population aged 60 years and older in the US. 

In 2022, a single award for DPPOS activities was given to Columbia University. However, over 90% of funds are spent outside of Columbia in 30 institutions distributed across the United States.Any interruption in funding, even a brief discontinuation, threatens the stability of the staff, the connection to our participants and the potential to salvage the study. If DPPOS ends prematurely, we will miss the opportunity to answer the  significant public health questions regarding diabetes and dementia that we aim to answer. The halt of funding for DPPOS had nothing to do with the study itself, its safety or conduct but is an unintended consequence of the ongoing conflict between Columbia University and the federal government. 

We are grateful for the funding and support we have received from NIH over the past 30 years. We urge you to take action to help restore funding for the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study so that we can continue this important work.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         DPP/DPPOS Research Group