Phl joins in fighting obesity in ASEAN

The Philippines has joined the fight against obesity in Southeast Asia.

Already available in Thailand since May, and now also in both Singapore and Malaysia as of last August, Eli Lilly’s innovative obesity and diabetes medicine, tirzepatide, has been approved by the FDA in the Philippines.

Dr. Fatma Tiu, president of Diabetes Philippines Inc., is hopeful: “If made accessible, tirzepatide could be a game-changer in reducing the uncontained and rising obesity rate of the country. This will in-turn reduce the co-morbid conditions associated with obesity-diabetes, CVD, stroke and cancer, which are the top causes of death for Filipinos.”

The growing demand for tirzepatide in the Philippines has given rise to a gray market of compounding pharmacies offering their own versions.

In a recent statement, the Philippine College of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism issued a clear warning about the dangers of locally fabricated copies claiming to be semaglutide and tirzepatide.

They cited reports of “serious adverse events” due to potential mishandling, contamination, or use of unverified salt-based derivatives.

These compounded variations are not approved by either the Philippine or the American FDA.

The chief of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at the University of Sto. Tomas Hospital, Dr. Bien Matawaran, spoke out: “Tirzepatide is a peptide that is hard to replicate, unlike other generic products. They are biologicals that follow a very strict process in manufacturing and handling. I would not conscientiously allow my patients to take medications that are not approved by the FDA. I would wait for the approved product’s availability.”

Thailand has taken a decisive lead in shifting society’s perception of obesity from a general weight issue to a complex medical condition.

This highlights its significant economic burden on the healthcare system and its close link to multiple chronic comorbidities.

It also places an emphasis on administering treatments under the supervision of qualified medical professionals, with a focus on long-term safety, side-effect management, and efficacy.

The subsequent adoption of tirzepatide in Singapore and Malaysia means that this approach will become the preferred way forward.

This approach highlights not only diagnosis and effective patient communication, especially through shared decision-making, but also the appropriate and safe use of medications to support sustainable treatment outcomes.

The DOH and many leaders in the Philippine medical community seem primed for a more aggressive stance: “For too long, Filipinos have been told to treat obesity as a decision, with moral judgement leveled against its sufferers,” said Dr. Rosa Allyn Sy, a past president of the Philippine Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity.

“People who have defied the odds by losing and keeping off a large amount of weight purely through diet and exercise have been presented as role models to follow, rather than being acknowledged for what science says they really are: rare exceptions.

With the rise of sedentary work and the public's reliance on unhealthy convenience foods and non-active recreation, at what point do these habits stop being a 'lifestyle' and start being an inescapable 'life'?”

Dr. Mike Villa, a past president of the PCEDM, was resolute: “The Philippines is ready to take on obesity; we just need the right tools, which are already available to our neighbors and proven to produce solid results under proper medical supervision.”