Securing GLP-1 Access and Exploring Hidradenitis Suppurativa Trials

Angela Fitch, MD, co-founder and chief medical officer of Knownwell and past president of the Obesity Medicine Association, recently discussed strategies for securing access to GLP-1 medications and the potential role of these agents in inflammatory skin disease, as well as research priorities in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Fitch, an obesity medicine specialist, presented on a multidisciplinary panel at Fall Clinical 2026 with dermatologists, a pharmacist, and a patient advocate.

Coverage Routes Beyond Weight Management

Fitch emphasized recognizing patient populations with coverage for conditions other than weight management. Tirzepatide (Zepbound; Eli Lilly) is approved for sleep apnea, offering a route to treatment for patients with concomitant sleep apnea. Semaglutide (Wegovy; Novo Nordisk) is covered for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and for cardiovascular risk reduction in patients with known cardiovascular disease.

“Making sure people know about these things, I think, is critical,” Fitch said.

GLP-1 Medications and Inflammatory Conditions

Fitch said she believes future research will show these medications can treat multiple inflammatory conditions. Use at a broad scale is too early, in her view, and patients without overweight or obesity require a one-on-one conversation. She described prescribing in this population as a stretch because risk and benefit have not been studied.

“All the studies have been done in patients with overweight or obesity,” Fitch said.

Proposed Randomized Trial in Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Fitch attended the conference as a non-dermatologist, but she noted a long interest in the specialty. “I’ve always done a lot of dermatology in primary care,” she said. HS was the condition she found most inspiring during the meeting.

She called for a randomized controlled trial in HS, noting retatrutide (Eli Lilly), a triple agonist, is coming to market next year as a potentially more potent option. “I think we really should look at a randomized controlled trial of hidradenitis, especially with retatrutide coming to the market next year,” Fitch said.

Fitch hopes such trials could lead to an HS indication. An indication would give patients another access route to treatment.