Despite the high morbidity associated with DN, most randomized clinical trials evaluating therapies for established DN have been disappointing. To date there is no pathogenetic treatment for this condition. The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) demonstrated that intensive control designed to achieve near-normal glycemia is essential in reducing the risk of DN development in type 1 diabetes (8, 9). However, attainable intensive glycemic control, although necessary, is insufficient to prevent adverse nervous system effects, justifying a therapeutic need to identify new drug targets to treat DN early in its course. One such new therapeutic target is inflammation. Multiple pre-clinical and clinical studies demonstrate a pathogenic role for inflammation, especially cytokine production, in the disease course of DN and CAN. This suggests that agents with known anti-inflammatory properties, such as salicylates, may prevent the development of DN and the pain associated with DN. Salsalate, a pro-drug form of salicylate, is a FDA approved drug commonly indicated for relief of the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and related rheumatic disorders. In vitro and in vivo studies and human trials have shown that salicylate therapy is effective in controlling low grade inflammation in diabetes by inhibition of the inhibitor of the κB kinase (IKKβ)/NF-κB pathway. It has a large margin of safety (unlike other salicylates), and a low cost. There is also extensive experience with long-term human use of salsalate.