AMA officially recognizes obesity as a disease
This is a move that could induce physicians to pay more attention to the condition and spur more insurers to pay for treatments.
It's official, we've got a problem of big proportions.
Yesterday, the American Medical Association officially recognized obesity as a disease. According to Andrew Pollock of the New York Times, this is "a move that could induce physicians to pay more attention to the condition and spur more insurers to pay for treatments."
"I think you will probably see from this physicians taking obesity more seriously, counseling their patients about it," Morgan Downey, an advocate for obese people and publisher of the online Downey Obesity Report, explained to the New York Times. "Companies marketing the products will be able to take this to physicians and point to it and say, 'Look, the mother ship has now recognized obesity as a disease.' "
Two new obesity drugs have entered the market in the last year. Belviq from Arena Pharmaceuticals and Eisai got a long overdue U.S. launch earlier this month, while Qsymia from Vivus appeared in September 2012.
Whether obesity should be called a disease has long been debated. Since 1998, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have both recognized obesity as a complex chronic disease.
Now with the AMA's backing, some doctors and obesity advocates feel that having the nation's largest physician group make the declaration could help improve reimbursement for obesity drugs, surgery and counseling.
In a statement released by Theodore Kyle, Advocacy Chair of The Obesity Society, he praised and applauded the AMA for recognizing obesity as a disease:
The disease is a driver of much suffering, ill health and earlier mortality, and people affected are too often subject to enormous societal stigma and discrimination. This vital recognition of obesity as a disease can help to ensure more resources are dedicated to needed research, prevention and treatment; encourage healthcare professionals to recognize obesity treatment as a needed and respected vocation; and, reduce the stigma and discrimination experienced by the millions affected.
For the full article, visit nytimes.com.