The International Diabetes Federation (IDF)’s Diabetes Atlas reports that 589 million adults (aged 20—79) are currently living with diabetes—equivalent to 1 in 9 adults worldwide. This number is projected to rise to 853 million by 2050. The report also states that diabetes was responsible for 3.4 million deaths in 2024, equating to one death every nine seconds. Additionally, diabetes accounted for at least USD 1 trillion in health expenditures, representing a 338% increase over the past 17 years. The report further predicts that diabetes-related health spending will continue to rise, exceeding USD 1.054 trillion by 2045.
Diabetes is a silent epidemic, causing death and suffering on an unimaginable scale. However, for pharmaceutical corporations, insurance companies, and private healthcare providers, it represents a highly profitable business opportunity. The commercialization of illness lies at the heart of capitalism, particularly in the healthcare models practiced by many large corporations based in the United States and Europe. The pharmaceutical industry manages diabetes through ongoing treatment but rarely invests in a cure—treating the disease as though it were incurable.
However, this long-standing dream of capitalist corporations and their multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical “business of sickness” is facing disruption. Chinese scientists have discovered a method to reverse both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes using stem cell therapy based on induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology. This technique involves reprogramming adult cells to behave like embryonic stem cells. In this breakthrough, Chinese researchers use a patient’s own fat cells to generate insulin-producing islet cells, which are then injected under the anterior rectus sheath of the abdomen. Once implanted, these cells begin to regulate blood sugar levels naturally by producing insulin—just as a healthy pancreas would. Initial trials conducted at Tianjin First Central Hospital have shown remarkable results: patients with Type-1 diabetes were able to stop insulin use entirely within seventy-five days, while those with Type-2 diabetes achieved the same outcome in just eleven weeks. The European Medical Journal described the development as a milestone, stating,
Stem-Cell Therapy success in China marks a milestone in Type-1 Diabetes treatment.
The Chinese National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) is fast-tracking the next phase of clinical trials, aiming to address this global epidemic within the next three years. With this breakthrough, China is poised to transform the global healthcare industry. It marks a significant step toward ending the silent epidemic of diabetes and alleviating the suffering of millions around the world. This development also poses a major challenge to profit-driven pharmaceutical corporations and healthcare industries that have long relied on the continuous demand for insulin, diabetes medications, and related medical equipment.
The rise of medical technology, innovations in medical science, and advancements in health research in China are not accidental. They are the result of deliberate policy decisions and strategic investments by the People’s Republic of China, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. The Chinese government has been actively deepening health research and reforming its healthcare system, which led to the development of the “Shanghai Integration Model” (SIM). This model fosters efficiency and synergy between public health initiatives and research-driven medical services. Fundamentally, it stands in opposition to the privatization of healthcare and the commercialisation of illness. These forward-thinking health policies have also contributed to major medical breakthroughs, including treatments for AIDS and obesity developed by Chinese scientists.
All major Chinese universities offer medical science and health-related programs, supported by dedicated research institutes and centers. These programs, offered by public universities, are grounded in the principle of public health over profit. At their core is the goal of freeing people from curable, preventable, and life-threatening diseases. The focus is on using knowledge to empower humanity and promote health and well-being. This mission aligns with the broader vision of the Chinese Communist Party—led government, which prioritizes human welfare, health, and happiness through science-driven public policy.
While imperialism—led by the United States—continues to manufacture conflict and invest heavily in high-tech weaponry to sustain the highest stage of capitalism through violence, destruction, and control, China is taking a different path. It is investing in life-saving medicines and medical technologies aimed at improving human health and well-being. In the midst of ongoing anti-China propaganda campaigns, the contrast is stark. The alternatives are clear: a world driven by war and profit, or one focused on health, innovation, and the collective good.
It is impossible to overlook the scale of people-centered development in China, where the state and government prioritise the well-being of the working masses. In contrast, governments in the United States and Western Europe often serve corporate interests, particularly in the healthcare sector, where profit is placed above public health. As a result, health corporations in these countries thrive financially—often at the expense of human lives and well-being.
Therefore, it is imperative to expose the hypocrisy embedded in Western systems—where profit is prioritised over people—while defending China and its working-class-driven innovations that advance human health and happiness. In a world shaped by competing models of development, China’s approach stands as a powerful alternative rooted in collective welfare, scientific progress, and the dignity of life.
Bhabani Shankar Nayak is a political commentator.