Survey of 670+ Global HCPs Examines Growing Awareness and Misdiagnosis of Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA), also known as Type 1.5 Diabetes
New York, NY – The 42nd Barometer survey from Sermo, a fast, frictionless HCP engagement platform providing the healthcare industry with real-time business insights and authentic physician touch points, of 670+ global healthcare providers (HCPs), reveals 79% of diabetes treaters have diagnosed or treated patients with Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA), also known as ‘type 1.5 diabetes’ because it shares features of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Among those with experience diagnosing and treating LADA patients, 83% of HCPs report diagnosing LADA more often in patients compared to 5-10 years ago.
Recognition is Improving, but Challenges Remain
More than ever, HCPs recognize that a type 2 diabetes diagnosis might not tell the full story and are increasingly identifying LADA in practice. Of those who actively diagnose and treat LADA, 83% indicated they encounter patients initially misdiagnosed as having type 2 diabetes. 23% of these HCPs indicated that this misdiagnosis occurs frequently. For HCPs who haven’t diagnosed or treated the condition, 68% indicated they rarely or never consider a LADA diagnosis when treating patients with diabetes.
Misdiagnoses can have serious consequences for patients. As one U.S.-based endocrinologist explained in the survey, “Too many adult patients are treated for T2DM when in reality they have LADA, leading to delays in proper treatment and worsening outcomes.” Another clinician from Spain added, “Early and accurate recognition of the disease, followed by tailored treatment that preserves residual beta-cell function, is crucial.”
HCPs believe delayed initiation of insulin therapy (21%) is the biggest treatment challenge, followed by difficulty achieving glycemic control (19%) and ineffective treatment plans (17%). One internal medicine specialist from Canada noted, “There’s no standardized algorithm distinguishing when to transition from oral therapy to insulin or when to consider immunomodulatory interventions, leaving clinicians to make case-by-case decisions.”
Bridging the Gap: HCPs Highlight Ongoing Need for Education & Technology
When asked to rank the top reasons HCPs believe LADA is under-recognized in clinical practice, overlap in presentation with Type 2 diabetes was the top choice, followed by lack of clear guidelines (55%) and not emphasized enough in medical training (46%).
As one general practitioner from the United Kingdom explained, “LADA is often misclassified as Type 2 diabetes because it presents in adulthood and may not require insulin immediately.” Another U.S.-based nurse practitioner emphasized the need for better education, stating, “We need more training and guidelines as PCPs to identify the condition earlier since specialists are harder to access.”
HCPs indicated that clear diagnostic algorithms (86%) are the top resource that would help them feel more confident in identifying the condition. This was followed by CME/educational programs (71%) and wider access to testing (51%).
Technology is playing a critical role in managing LADA. HCPs overwhelmingly responded with continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices (79%) followed by insulin pumps (46%) and standardized antibody/C-peptide panels (39%). One endocrinologist from Germany highlighted the importance of diagnostic tools, stating, “Access to timely diabetes autoantibody testing and c-peptide testing is essential to confirm diagnosis and transition patients to appropriate therapy.”
This survey was fielded from Oct 10th-13th, 2025 as the 42nd edition of Sermo’s ongoing Barometer study. The survey of 670 participants included primary care physicians, endocrinologists, OBGYNs and advanced practice providers. To explore more findings, visit: https://app.sermo.com/barometer
About Sermo: Sermo is a fast, frictionless physician engagement platform, providing the healthcare industry with real-time business insights and authentic physician touch points through our global community of 1M+ healthcare professionals and state-of-the-art technology. For over 20 years, Sermo has been turning physician experience, expertise, and observations into actionable insights that benefit pharmaceutical companies, healthcare partners, and the medical community at large. To learn more, visit www.sermo.com.
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