Joshua Neumiller’s work impacts millions of Americans — the nearly 12% of the country’s population that has diabetes.
Neumiller is the Allen I. White Distinguished Professor in the Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences as well as a leader in the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
He was the first pharmacist to head the ADA committee that annually updates Standards of Care in Diabetes, the guidelines for healthcare professionals to use in treating patients with diabetes. In 2025, Neumiller will become the ADA’s president for healthcare and education. This year he was named the association’s outstanding educator.
“Education is huge in diabetes,” he said, whether educating patients and caregivers about medications and lifestyle changes, or educating the primary care providers who deliver most diabetes care about new science and best practices.
Pharmacists are ideal candidates to provide that education, Neumiller said. Pharmacists are among the most accessible healthcare providers. And with a shortage of endocrinologists who provide specialty care, pharmacists can help bridge the gap between primary and specialty care.
But Neumiller’s work also has a more personal impact: he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 25.
In the last 20 years we’ve seen incredible advancements in the management of diabetes, and I think it’s only going to increase in speed.
Joshua Neumiller, Allen I. White Distinguished Professor
WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
That surprise diagnosis changed his career trajectory. After getting his undergraduate degree and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from WSU, Neumiller had begun a PhD program in immunology at the university.
“I was about 9 months into my PhD training when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and I realized even as a healthcare professional how overwhelming that was, and difficult to deal with,” he said. He began a pharmacy residency focusing on diabetes care and clinical research.
It’s an exciting time to be involved in diabetes education, research and care, Neumiller said.
“In the last 20 years we’ve seen incredible advancements in the management of diabetes, and I think it’s only going to increase in speed,” he said. There are new agents to slow the disease’s progression, and new insulin pumps and delivery devices. Agents from the GLP-1 receptor agonist class, like semaglutide, are helping some people achieve a normal blood glucose level for the first time, and there are more of those types of therapies in development. He predicts artificial intelligence will have a big impact on how information is distributed to healthcare providers and patients.
However, he adds, “At the root of type 2 diabetes management is lifestyle. Unfortunately, while we’ve had incredible therapeutic advancements, we’re more slow to make advancements in improving lifestyle.” Projections show an increase in the number of people with diabetes in the U.S. and globally — making his focus on diabetes education all the more critical.
Said Neumiller of his work at WSU and the American Diabetes Association, “It’s a huge responsibility, but very rewarding.”
