Addressing the Gap: Advocacy Groups Call for Inclusion of Patients with Obesity in Clinical Trials

President of the Obesity Medicine Association discusses a recent joint statement from the OMA and 4 other organizations calling for inclusion of patients with obesity in drug research.

There are currently no requirements that clinical trials of new pharmacotherapies specifically include persons with obesity. In a joint statement released November 28, 2023, 5 obesity advocacy groups—including the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA)—asked the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to amend the dangerous omission and to “close gaps in the testing and approval process for new drugs intended for use by people with obesity.”

Patient Care Online recently sat down with Angela Fitch, MD, the president of the OMA, to discuss highlights in obesity medicine from 2023. In the video below, Dr Fitch details the impetus for the joint statement and why it is important for clinicians to be aware of.