Episode #14
What Are GLP-1 Clinical Trials & How Do I Join One?
What actually happens when you join a GLP-1 or obesity medication clinical trial? And could participating in one give you access to the next generation of obesity treatments before they reach the pharmacy? On this episode of Weight & Measure with Mike and Zach , Mike Donnelly-Boylen and Zach Niemiec are joined by Dr. Domenica Rubino , founder and director of the Washington Center for Weight Management & Research in Arlington, Virginia. Dr. Rubino is an obesity medicine physician, endocrinologist, and longtime clinical researcher who has helped study obesity medications throughout the evolution of modern obesity care. Together, we break down Clinical Trials 101 from the perspective of the people actually volunteering to participate. We discuss: • What Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3 and Phase 4 clinical trials actually mean • Why developing a medication can take 10–15 years • What happens after you respond to a “Now Enrolling” clinical trial • Screening, informed consent and randomization • Why obesity medication trials still use placebo groups • Your chances of receiving placebo versus an investigational medication • What participating in a clinical trial costs • Whether participants can be compensated for their time and travel • What visits, testing and monitoring look like during a study • What happens if you experience side effects or want to leave a trial • Who is responsible for protecting clinical trial participants • What happens when an investigational medication works but the trial ends • Whether participants can continue receiving a medication after a study • How to decide whether a clinical trial is right for you • How to find legitimate obesity clinical trials on ClinicalTrials.gov • Whether you can still join trials studying retatrutide, CagriSema and other next-generation obesity medications • The rapidly growing research into amylin-based medications, dual agonists and triple agonists • Why people who have undergone metabolic & bariatric surgery may have fewer trial options, and why that may be changing • Why you should never stop an effective obesity medication simply to qualify for a clinical trial Dr. Rubino also shares an important warning for anyone eager to access the newest investigational obesity medications: a clinical trial isn't simply a way to get a new drug early. Participants need to understand the study, the possibility of receiving placebo, the potential risks and benefits, and whether participation makes sense for their individual situation. Clinical trials are responsible for much of what we know about obesity treatment today. Behind every headline about a new medication are thousands of people who volunteered to help researchers answer those questions. This episode is about understanding both the science and the people who make that science possible. ️ Guest: Dr. Domenica Rubino ️ Hosts: Mike Donnelly-Boylen & Zach Niemiec Subscribe to Weight & Measure with Mike and Zach on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. More Science. Less Stigma. #GLP1 #ClinicalTrials #Obesity #ObesityMedicine #Retatrutide #CagriSema #WeightLossMedications #ObesityTreatment #WeightAndMeasure
