JUMP DOWN TO WATCH THE WEBCAST ON NOV. 21
Recently, medications like Wegovy and Ozempic have garnered widespread attention, both in the medical field and in popular culture. These medications, scientifically known as Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, are primarily used for the treatment of diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Researchers are also evaluating their potential for treating other conditions such as eating disorders and addiction. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Health and Medicine Division has convened a panel of experts to explain the science behind these drugs, discuss their expanding usage, and explore their larger societal implications in a free, public webinar. This informal conversation will be valuable to patients and their families, health care professionals, students, journalists, and anyone who would simply like to learn more about the topic. The following panelists will also take questions from the audience:
Jamy Ard, MD, vice dean of clinical research at Wake Forest University School of Medicine; professor, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention; co-director, Advocate Health Wake Forest Baptist Weight Management Center
Ania M. Jastreboff, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in medicine and pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine; director, Yale Obesity Research Center; codirector, Yale Center for Weight Management
Patty Nece, J.D., immediate past chair of the National Board of Directors of the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC); chair, OAC Weight Bias Committee
Donna Ryan, M.D., professor emerita at Pennington Biomedical in Baton Rouge, LA
Relevant Resources:
Examining Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor (GLP-1R) Agonists for Central Nervous System Disorders: A Workshop
Medications and Obesity: Exploring the Landscape and Advancing Comprehensive Care: A Workshop
Participant Bios:
Jamy Ard, MD is Vice Dean of Clinical Research at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and a professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention. He is also co-director of the Advocate Health Wake Forest Baptist Weight Management Center, directing medical weight management programs. Dr. Ard conducts research on the clinical management of obesity and strategies to improve treatment outcomes in underserved and underrepresented populations. He has served on several expert panels and guideline development committees, including the 2013 AHA/ACC/TOS Guideline Panel on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. Dr. Ard is serving as president of The Obesity Society in 2024. He completed his medical training at Duke University Medical Center and received formal training in clinical research as a fellow at the Center for Health Sciences Research in Primary Care at the Durham VA Medical Center.
Ania M. Jastreboff, M.D., Ph.D., is an associate professor in medicine and pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine. She serves as the director of the Yale Obesity Research Center and the codirector of the Yale Center for Weight Management. Dr. Jastreboff is trained in both adult endocrinology and pediatric endocrinology, an obesity medicine physician-scientist, and an international leader in research and clinical application of AOMs. Her work has included working to develop Obesity CPG, serving on the board of directors for the American Board of Obesity Medicine, educating the next generation of obesity medicine physicians by teaching at national and international obesity treatment courses, and conducting cutting-edge clinical-translational obesity research. Her research includes large, multicenter clinical outcomes trials using novel AOMs and studies examining the neurobiology underlying obesity and mechanisms of AOMs (supported by NIH/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases). Recently, she has served as lead author for trials investigating potential novel NuSH therapies for obesity, including tirzepatide, a novel GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist, and retatrutide, a novel GIP/GLP-1/glucagon receptor agonist. Dr. Jastreboff thoughtfully advocates for compassionate care for patients with obesity and was interviewed by Oprah. She received her medical degree from and completed her residency at University of Maryland School of Medicine and a Ph.D. from Yale University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
Patty Nece, J.D., is vice chair of the National Board of Directors of the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) and chairs OAC’s Weight Bias Task Force. She has also served as a Commissioner on the Lancet Commission on Obesity and a member of the American Psychological Association’s Guideline Development Panel for Childhood Obesity. She has worked on projects with the STOP Obesity Alliance and testified before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Ms. Nece advocates for the eradication of weight bias, sound obesity treatments, and insurance coverage for those treatments. She encourages change by sharing her personal experiences with life-long severe obesity. A noted advocate, Ms. Nece has been invited to speak at numerous venues, including Rethink Obesity Forums at the 2016 Democratic and Republican Presidential Conventions, the Obesity Medicine Association, the George Washington University School of Medicine, the Partnership for a Healthier America, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Society for Behavioral Medicine, and Obesity Week 2018 and 2019. Ms. Nece earned her J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Donna Ryan, M.D., is professor emerita at Pennington Biomedical in Baton Rouge, LA, where she had a 25-year career in clinical research in obesity. She was an investigator on the Preventing Overweight Using Novel Dietary Strategies Lost study, Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) trial, Diabetes Prevention Program, DASH, and many other studies of the health benefits of weight loss by diet, lifestyle intervention and medications. She was principal investigator of a series of studies over 25 years funded by the U.S. Department of Defense targeting military nutrition. Her personal research studied improving primary care management of obesity. She has been an active member and former president of TOS (North America) and World Obesity Federation. Dr. Ryan served as cochair of the SELECT Steering Committee and member of the Data Safety Monitoring Boards for setmelanotide and retatrutide. She has more than 300 publications, is a frequent speaker on obesity and diabetes treatments, and remains an active consultant and advisor to companies developing drugs, devices, lifestyle programs, and medical approaches to obesity management. She received her M.D. from Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, where she completed her internship at its Charity Hospital and fellowship in medical oncology at its Department of Medicine, Hematology/Medical Oncology Section. She was mentored by George Bray, M.D., when she changed careers to engage in clinical research in obesity.