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The article presents information about the surveillance of diabetes in New York City. New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden described diabetes as the only health problem and stressed to gain a view of the problem to provide improvements in care and public savings. The New York City health department put forward a proposal for electronic laboratory-based reporting of hemoglobin AIC tests for all city residents. The health officials of the city health department consulted with organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Diabetes Association, major New York City hospitals, clinicians, and patients with diabetes to develop its surveillance scheme, but the country, state and national medical associations were not consulted. The surveillance proposal was objected by citizens of the city. These objections were based on privacy and autonomy concerns.