Weight-Loss Pharmacotherapy Beyond Incretins: Patient Selection, Safety, and Real-World Decision-Making - Episode 6
Regulatory considerations and clinician education for non-incretin obesity therapies
Dr Cristancho addresses how regulatory constraints and educational gaps affect real-world use of non-incretin agents and highlights the need for practical, guidance-based training.
Regulatory requirements for stimulant and other controlled non-incretin agents—such as documentation, duration limits, and monitoring mandates—directly influence real-world prescribing. Dr Cristancho emphasizes that these constraints vary by state and must be understood locally.
Insurance coverage and prior authorization processes add further friction, affecting both initiation and continuity of therapy. Clinicians must align prescribing choices with what patients can realistically access and sustain within their regulatory and payer environment.
Finally, Dr Cristancho highlights substantial educational needs around patient selection, safety monitoring, sequencing, and combination use of non-incretin agents. Practical, guideline-based education can increase clinician confidence and support broader, more appropriate integration of these therapies into chronic obesity management.
