Injection Technique to Oral Dosing: Obesity Rx Tips

Diana Isaacs, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM, CDCES, FADCES, FCCP, an endocrine pharmacist at the Cleveland Clinic, discussed how pharmacists can support patients starting obesity pharmacotherapy and identified the developments she sees as most significant in 2026. The discussion took place during a Pharmacy Times Continuing Education panel.

Isaacs emphasized that medication expertise is where pharmacists add the most value, ensuring patients understand the optimal way to take their therapy. For injectable agents, that means reinforcing good injection technique and confirming patients have pen needles if needed. For oral agents, it means clear dosing instructions—for example, taking oral semaglutide (Wegovy in a pill; Novo Nordisk) on an empty stomach with no more than 4 ounces of water. She also stressed counseling on eating habits to help mitigate common gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation.

Asked about the biggest development of the year, Isaacs offered multiple. First, she called the oral agent orforglipron (Foundayo; Eli Lilly and Company) revolutionary because it provides an oral option that does not require special administration and can be taken with other medications. Second, she highlighted a Medicare glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) bridge program that has expanded access to obesity pharmacotherapy for Medicare beneficiaries. Looking ahead, Isaacs said she is most excited about the triple agonist retatrutide (Eli Lilly and Company), which combines glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, GLP-1, and glucagon activity, and she noted additional combinations on the way, including semaglutide with cagrilintide (CagriSema; Novo Nordisk). For pharmacists, her message underscores that hands-on counseling on administration and side-effect management can meaningfully improve how patients begin and stay on obesity treatment.