The Endocrine Society is a trusted authority and expert on obesity. The Endocrine Society is working to reduce the prevalence of obesity in the United States by educating Congress about obesity and identifying policy options that would address this issue.
- Obesity Playbook: In March, 2024, the Endocrine Society released an updated version of our “Obesity Playbook”. Originally published in early in 2023, the Playbook serves as an educational resource for members of Congress and their staff about obesity. The Playbook was designed to be a “go-to” resource for members of Congress and their staff when they answer constituent questions about obesity and consider legislation related to obesity. The Obesity Playbook contains data on obesity prevalence, the economic cost of obesity, obesity’s impact on military readiness, policy options to address obesity, and a list of Society members who are experts in the field. Endocrine Society members Drs. Amy Rothberg, Rocio Pereira, and Jami Josefson served as advisors for the Playbook.
- Briefings: The Endocrine Society has conducted a number of Congressional briefings for members of Congress and their staff to educate them about prevalence of obesity, its financial costs to our healthcare system, and its treatment options including anti-obesity medications (AOMs).
- Treat and Reduce Obesity Act: The Endocrine Society has been working closely with the sponsors of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA) on the bill’s reintroduction. TROA is a bipartisan bill that would improve Medicare coverage of various treatments for obesity, including anti-obesity medications. Improving access to obesity treatments is a top priority for the Society. The Society will be interviewing Congressman Raul Ruiz (D-CA), a lead sponsor of TROA, this summer to discuss the bill.
- Obesity and Military Readiness: The Endocrine Society has raised awareness about the impact of obesity on our military readiness and national security. We recently urged the Department of Defense to expand access to obesity care for U.S. military personnel.
- Drug Shortages: Endocrine Society has advocated for improving access to obesity and diabetes medications amid the ongoing drug shortages. We recently met with the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and urged him to provide more information to the Society on the ongoing shortages.
Learn more about the Society's advocacy surrounding obesity here.
