Washington, DC – The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), the Obesity Society (TOS), the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) are scheduled to meet with the FDA on March 22 to discuss pharmacotherapy for the treatment of the disease of obesity.

“We are very pleased that senior FDA leadership has agreed to meet with us to discuss the future of obesity drug treatments. With the public health threat of obesity continuing to grow, there has never been a greater need for access to safe and effective obesity treatment options.” said Joe Nadglowski, OAC President and CEO. “We take this as an encouraging sign that FDA shares our concern about the need for innovation to address an urgent public health need.”

“TOS, OAC, ADA and ASMBS are all excited to directly engage FDA leadership.  Our discussions will focus on the FDA expert advisory panels, the risks and benefits of obesity medications, safety issues and the guidelines for evaluating new drugs,” said Jennifer Lovejoy, TOS President.

All of our organizations work together representing patients, registered dietitians, scientists, clinicians, and surgeons to elevate the recognition of both the prevention and treatment of obesity. Throughout the past several decades, the health impact of obesity has grown dramatically, but unfortunately the options for treatment have not. Affected individuals find themselves faced with myriad of obesity-related conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, some cancers and much more. Compounding  the health implications of obesity, these individuals also routinely face weight stigma and bias in settings such as school, employment, healthcare and others. The combination of health implications and weight bias drastically decrease these individuals’ quality of health and life.

About the OAC
The OAC is a nonprofit, national charity dedicated to helping those affected by obesity. The OAC was formed to bring together individuals struggling with weight issues and provide educational resources and advocacy tools. Visit OAC at obesityaction.org.

About TOS
The Obesity Society is the leading scientific society dedicated to the study of obesity. Since 1982, The Obesity Society has been committed to encouraging research on the causes and treatment of obesity, and to keeping the medical community and public informed of new advances. Visit TOS at obesity.org.

About the ASMBS
The mission of the ASMBS is to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery by continued encouragement of its members to:  improve the care and treatment of people with obesity and related diseases; advance the science and understanding of metabolic surgery; foster communication between health professionals on obesity and related conditions; and advocate for health care policy that ensures patient access to high-quality prevention and treatment of obesity. Visit ASMBS at asmbs.org.

About ADA
The American Dietetic Association is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nation’s health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Visit ADA at eatright.org.