Today, three of the leading voices for obesity care are releasing new guidance for obesity medicines in ongoing therapy. The Obesity Society, Obesity Medicine Association, and Obesity Action Coalition all came together in support of this important new guidance. Alongside its publication in the journal Obesity, Beverly Tchang and Donna Ryan offer a “humbling call to action.” In so doing, they distill the essence of this guidance brilliantly:

“The TOS/OMA/OAC Expert Guidance Statement is an honest assessment of how patients’ goals and scientific evidence are aligned and where opportunities remain. The methodology highlights the professional societies’ intentional reprioritization of historical objectives – weight loss is no longer a critically important outcome and has been supplanted by a focus on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life – joining the emerging consensus among international partners. This consensus across leading professional organizations is a powerful message to all health care stakeholders to, simply put, prioritize the patient.”

Alignment with Patients

Above all, aligning clinical care with patient needs is the core principle that distinguishes this guidance. It shines through in the concluding comments of guidance authors:

“Obesity is a chronic, often progressive, disease requiring comprehensive, long-term, and person-centered care. Effective obesity medications exist but remain underutilized due to systemic barriers. Expanding access, reducing stigma, and ensuring equitable coverage are essential to translating scientific advances into population health gains.”

Thus, the guidance makes it clear that systemic barriers stand in the way of aligning care with patient needs.

Looking Beyond Weight to the Long Term

The other critical dimension of this guidance is a long-term perspective, emphasizing outcomes beyond mere weight loss. Obesity Society Vice-President Jonathan Purnell makes it clear that these medicines have important benefits beyond weight loss:

“For many patients, they are a foundational part of care that improves not only weight, but also complications such as sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease.”

So OAC President and CEO Joe Nadglowski underscores the importance of ongoing care and the need to clear the way for it:

“This guidance makes it clear that long-term care is medically supported. Now access must keep pace with science, and unnecessary barriers to comprehensive treatment must go.”

Click here for the new guidance and here for the commentary by Tchang and Ryan. For further perspective, click here.

Man and Woman with Child in Café, sketch by Pablo Picasso / WikiArt