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Endocrinology · 2026

Diabetes care in China,
at the country with 140M patients.

Comprehensive optimization, metabolic surgery for T2D remission, and trial access at China’s reference diabetes centres. NMPA-listed semaglutide and tirzepatide available. Programs from $1,800.

Get a workup quote See tiers and pricing

~140M

Adults with diabetes in China

More than any other country — IDF Diabetes Atlas

IDF 2024

Shanghai Sixth

National reference centre

MDT diabetes + metabolic surgery program

NHC designation

60–80%

T2D remission post-RYGB

At 1 year, in patients with T2D < 10 yrs

Centre-published data

Tirzepatide

NMPA-approved 2024

Plus semaglutide (2021) at 30–60% off US price

NMPA approvals

AI fundus

Retinopathy screening

30-second scan, screening-grade report

NMPA-cleared (Airdoc, Vistel)

Bilingual

MDT report

Endocrine + nutrition + ophthalmology + nephrology

Standard at top centres

Tiers & pricing

Six tiers, transparent pricing.

Tier 1

3-day diabetes workup

Labs, CGM, retinal exam, neuropathy + PAD screen, ECG / echo. Bilingual report.

$1,800–2,800

Tier 2

5-day MDT optimization

Tier 1 plus medication optimization, structured nutrition + exercise prescription, advanced biomarkers.

$2,800–3,800

Tier 3

12-month program

Three in-person visits per year plus remote coaching, longitudinal HbA1c and CGM tracking.

$7,500–12,500

NMPA-listed

GLP-1 / GIP access

Semaglutide, tirzepatide and domestic GLP-1s at NMPA-listed pricing — 30–60% off US.

$180–650 / month

Surgical

Metabolic surgery

Sleeve, RYGB, SADI-S for eligible patients. Separate package.

$9,500–19,000

Investigational

Trial screening

Eligibility screen against NMPA registry. Up to 5 matched protocols returned.

$450–950

Top centres

Six diabetes programs
open to international patients.

Shanghai

Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital 上海第六人民医院

National reference for diabetes and obesity · MDT program · metabolic surgery flagship

Shanghai

Ruijin Hospital 瑞金医院

Class A teaching · strong endocrinology cohort · integrative care · long-term outcomes

Beijing

Peking Union Medical College Hospital 北京协和医院

Diagnostic excellence · atypical and mono-genic diabetes · MODY workup

Beijing

China-Japan Friendship Hospital 中日友好医院

Class A · strong diabetes nephrology and complications program · TCM cross-referral

Wuhan

Tongji Hospital 同济医院

Class A · large endocrinology service · regional reference · trial site

Chengdu

West China Hospital 华西医院

Class A · MDT phenotyping · regenerative-medicine trial site for T1D

FAQ

Diabetes care in China — answered.

Why China for diabetes care?
Three reasons: (1) China has ~140 million adults with diabetes — more than any other country (IDF Diabetes Atlas 2024) — and Class A teaching hospitals run high-throughput, MDT (endocrinology + nutrition + nephrology + ophthalmology) diabetes programs at scale; (2) Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital is China’s national reference centre for diabetes and obesity, pioneering Asian metabolic surgery research; (3) cost — a comprehensive 5-day workup including continuous glucose monitoring, retinal screening, peripheral neuropathy testing and cardiometabolic optimization runs $1,800–$3,800 in China vs $8,000–$20,000 at US academic diabetes centres.
What does a diabetes optimization program include?
Standard 5-day MDT pathway: comprehensive history; baseline labs (HbA1c, fasting and post-prandial glucose, fasting insulin, c-peptide, lipid panel inc. ApoB and Lp(a), kidney function inc. urine ACR, liver function, TSH, vitamin D, B12); 7–14 day continuous glucose monitor (Libre 3 or Dexcom G7) with retrospective analysis; dilated retinal exam by ophthalmology; diabetic peripheral neuropathy screen (10g monofilament + tuning fork + nerve conduction if abnormal); peripheral arterial disease screen (ABI); cardiomyopathy screen (ECG, echo, troponin if indicated); structured nutrition consultation; structured exercise prescription; medication review and optimization (SGLT-2, GLP-1 / GIP, basal-bolus insulin titration as indicated); diabetes self-management education in your language; bilingual final report.
Can I get GLP-1 or GIP/GLP-1 medications in China?
Yes. Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy / Novo Nordisk) is approved by NMPA for T2D and obesity since 2021. Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Eli Lilly) was approved by NMPA in 2024. Domestic Chinese GLP-1s are also available — including beinaglutide and several GLP-1/GIP/glucagon multi-agonists in late-stage development. List prices for foreign-brand GLP-1s are 30–60% lower than US equivalents at NMPA-listed pricing. Supply has been periodically constrained globally; we confirm in-stock availability at the partner pharmacy before quoting. Long-term GLP-1 prescription requires home-physician handover for prescription continuity after you return.
What about metabolic (bariatric) surgery for diabetes remission?
Metabolic surgery is the most powerful intervention available for T2D in eligible patients — published ADA-EASD guidance recommends consideration in T2D with BMI ≥ 35 (or ≥ 32.5 in Asian-ancestry patients). Published outcomes from leading centres (Shanghai Sixth, Shanghai Ninth, Zhongshan): T2D remission at 1 year 60–80% after RYGB / SADI-S in patients with T2D duration < 10 years and preserved beta-cell function. The procedure menu and cost framework is detailed on our [Bariatric Surgery in China](/bariatric-surgery-china) page. Eligibility for metabolic surgery requires multi-disciplinary assessment and a commitment to lifelong follow-up.
What does it cost?
Indicative all-in international-patient pricing: tier 1 — 3-day diabetes workup $1,800–$2,800; tier 2 — 5-day MDT optimization with CGM $2,800–$3,800; tier 3 — 12-month optimization program (3 in-person visits + remote coaching) $7,500–$12,500. Add-ons: peripheral neuropathy nerve conduction $200–$350; advanced cardiometabolic biomarkers $250–$450; metabolic surgery (separate package, see Bariatric page) $9,500–$19,000. All quotes include bilingual report and 30 / 60 / 90 day follow-up.
Which hospitals are credible for diabetes care?
Top centres: (1) Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital — national reference for diabetes and obesity, MDT diabetes-and-obesity program, leading metabolic surgery; (2) Ruijin Hospital, SJTU — strong endocrinology academic centre, long-term cohort data, integrative care; (3) Peking Union Medical College Hospital — diagnostic excellence for atypical and mono-genic diabetes, MODY workup; (4) China-Japan Friendship Hospital — strong diabetes nephrology and complications program; (5) Tongji Hospital, Wuhan — large endocrinology service, complications screening. All accept international patients via international medical departments.
Are there clinical trials I might be eligible for?
Yes — China hosts a deep pipeline of T2D and obesity trials. Active areas as of 2026 include: novel multi-agonist incretins (GLP-1 / GIP / glucagon dual / triple agonists); oral GLP-1 formulations; small-molecule glucokinase activators; SGLT-1/2 dual inhibitors; first-in-human gene therapy and cell-therapy approaches for T1D in dedicated centres. Trial-by-trial eligibility depends on your specific phenotype and prior therapy. See our [Clinical Trials in China](/clinical-trials-china) page for the access process — eligibility screening + trial shortlist costs $450–$950 and typically returns 2–5 protocol matches.
What about diabetic complications screening and TCM?
Diabetic complications screening (retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, peripheral arterial disease) is bundled into the optimization program. China hosts world-leading retinopathy screening AI (Airdoc, Vistel) deployed in primary-care settings — a 30-second fundus camera image returns a screening-grade report. TCM is positioned as supportive: acupuncture has limited but real evidence for diabetic peripheral neuropathy symptoms (ADA neuropathy guidance accepts as second-line); herbal management of diabetes is not recommended as primary therapy and herbal interactions with metformin, SGLT-2 and GLP-1 are screened.

Related guides

Bariatric Surgery

Sleeve, bypass, SADI-S for T2D remission and obesity.

Read the guide

Clinical Trials

How to find and join NMPA-registered diabetes and obesity trials.

Read the guide

Longevity Medicine

Cardiometabolic optimization as the core of healthspan.

Read the guide

Executive Physical

Comprehensive baseline workup before starting optimization.

Read the guide

TCM for Conditions

Where integrative TCM has evidence — and where it doesn’t.

Read the guide

Second Opinion

Independent review of a complex diabetes plan.

Read the guide

Want a written workup quote
in 5 days?

Tell us your HbA1c, current medication and travel window. We return two written program quotes from partner hospitals — including which add-ons make sense for your phenotype.

Request a quote See cost comparison

This page is for general information only and does not constitute medical advice. Diabetes care decisions should always be made with your treating endocrinologist or primary care physician based on your individual circumstances. We do not guarantee T2D remission outcomes, which depend on many individual factors.