Why Obesity Care Is Never One-Size-Fits-All

At the New England Institute of Ambulatory Care Pharmacists (NEIAP) 2026 Annual Forum in Boston, Massachusetts, Vicki Saengkheune, PharmD, BCACP, and Abimbola (Bola) Olagunju, PharmD, RPh, ambulatory clinical pharmacy specialists at Beth Israel Lahey Health, explained to Pharmacy Times how they educate patients on obesity's links to other conditions and which developments in the obesity space excite them most.

Saengkheune said patient education is essential because many patients don't realize that weight management coincides with numerous comorbidities. As one disease state improves, she noted, it can meaningfully affect another, so making small strides in one outcome can instrumentally improve another—a dynamic she framed as central to strong long-term care. Olagunju reinforced that obesity care is not one-size-fits-all: what works for one individual may not work for another, making education critical. She emphasized helping patients understand that medication is a tool that works alongside physical activity and lifestyle modification to support both their weight-loss goals and improvement in other comorbidities.

On developments they're anticipating, Olagunju pointed to the emerging triple-G (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide/glucagon-like peptide-1 [GLP-1]/glucagon) agent as an exciting expansion of patient options and welcomed the arrival of oral agents, which give patients who struggle with injectables an alternative and help eliminate barriers associated with GLP-1s and weight management. Saengkheune described the field as having "exploded," saying the evolution of these therapies has created strong traction for patient outcomes.

Reflecting on 3 years at the clinic—which she said began with just liraglutide (Saxenda; Novo Nordisk)—she highlighted how much the treatment landscape and the pharmacist-led team have grown and expressed optimism that the space will continue expanding rapidly.