More Calls for People with Obesity in Drug Trials and Labels
The calls are growing louder and more frequent to include people living with obesity in clinical trials and drug labels. Of course trials and labels for drugs that treat obesity include these patients. But the huge problem is that for everything else, more often than not, drug studies and labels exclude them.
Now, the American College of Clinical Pharmacology (ACCP) has issued an urgent call for inclusion of people with obesity in clinical trials for all drugs so that, in the end, drug labels will reflect the information healthcare professionals need to safely use new drugs in this population.
In its Health Talk series last night, the Obesity Action Coalition unveiled a call to action through which all of us can encourage FDA to raise the bar for collecting and providing this information. Every one of us can and should follow the link to add our voices and call for change.
“My Patients Do Matter”
In the OAC Health Talk last night, Harvard’s Fatima Cody Stanford made an passionate plea for more inclusive clinical trials and drug labeling:
“I am an obesity medicine physician – which means I exclusively care for patients with obesity. How can I, in my heart of hearts, recommend therapies that have not been tested in the patients that I care for?
“All persons, regardless of size, matter. All persons should be included in these clinical trials. I’ve dedicated my life to the care of patients with obesity and my patients do matter.”
The Issue Arises Every Day
OAC President Joe Nadglowski explains that action on this issue is urgent because this is an issue that arises every day:
“Medications are used every day by people with obesity to treat conditions unrelated to weight – like depression, infections, and even cancer. People with obesity deserve to know if the medications are safe and effective for them.
“But right now, there is no requirement that drugs specifically be tested in people with obesity prior to approval – putting them at unnecessary risk for poorer health outcomes.”
So we need to act now. Click here and go to the OAC Action Center. Call on the FDA to raise the bar and ensure that all drugs are safe and effective for people with obesity. After all, we are about half of the population who will be using them. It’s the right thing to do.
Click here for the very scientific call to action of the ACCP. (It appears in their journal behind a paywall here.) For the OAC Health Talk on this issue, click here. For further perspective, click here and here.
Coming to the Call, painting by Frederic Remington / WikiArt
Subscribe by email to follow the accumulating evidence and observations that shape our view of health, obesity, and policy.
January 26, 2024
