Weight loss pens begin to be tested in SUS
Pilot project will follow 250 patients with obesity in RS for two years.
The Unified Health System (SUS) has started a pilot project to evaluate the use of semaglutide, the active ingredient of so-called weight loss pens, in the treatment of obesity. The research will be conducted with 250 patients treated by the Grupo Hospitalar Conceição (GHC), in Rio Grande do Sul, and aims to measure the clinical efficacy, safety, and financial impact of incorporating the drug into the public system.
SUS pilot project will evaluate the use of semaglutide in 250 patients with obesity.
Named Real-Bari, the study was developed in partnership between the Ministry of Health and GHC and will follow, for two years, patients with severe obesity or obesity associated with other diseases. All participants are already undergoing treatment at the unit and had to meet specific criteria to enter the research.
Among the requirements are a diagnosis of obesity for at least 12 months, documented failure of conventional treatments—such as diet and physical activity—and the ability to self-administer the medication or have the assistance of a caregiver.
Throughout the study, indicators such as weight loss, improvement in quality of life, evolution of clinical exams, post-operative results, and treatment costs will be analyzed. The objective is to verify whether the technology can be incorporated safely and sustainably into SUS.
This initiative marks the first experience of the Brazilian public system with GLP-1 based medications for the treatment of obesity. During the project's launch, one of the selected patients received the first application of the drug.
Health Minister Alexandre Padilha stated that the study places Brazil among the countries evaluating the use of this technology in the public system. According to him, in addition to treating obesity and diabetes, the drugs could in the future expand their application to other chronic diseases, as research advances.
The follow-up protocol includes continuous monitoring by specialized medical teams. According to Grupo Hospitalar Conceição, 91% of obese patients treated by the institution have morbid obesity, but less than half are eligible for bariatric surgery.
The project will be funded by resources transferred to the hospital by the Support Foundation of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (FAURGS), from a financial contribution from the drug manufacturer.
Source: CNN Brasil
