I think this applies to a lot of research, not just diabetic research.
It also applies to the same people always being featured at conferences, e.g. wound conferences, surgical conferences, biomechanics conferences, ad infinatum.
When we look at a person's CV, we do judge their quality too often by their quantity of writing or speaking.
And I also see a trend in which those who write and speak often usually invite the same people to write and speak with them instead of trying to look for and foster new talent.
This observation is not aimed at anyone in particular, as it covers the entire spectrum of specialties and subspecialties and topics.
As my friend Tim Holbrook use to say:
The cemeteries are filled with irreplaceable people.