CHICAGO — Leading experts in bariatric surgery and obesity management will convene at a news conference on Monday, October 6, to discuss the usage of weight loss medications, known as GLP-1s, and weight loss surgery.
Approximately 40% of US adults are categorized as overweight; another 40% have obesity, and half of those have severe obesity. The popularity of GLP-1s has exploded in recent years, leaving many patients with questions about treatment options. While there is a growing perception that weight loss drugs alone are now the optimal treatment for obesity, experts often recommend a tandem approach where the two could be used as complementary treatments.
During the news conference, experts will discuss the benefits and barriers of medication and surgical treatment of obesity, the importance of viewing obesity as a disease, and common questions patients have when considering what treatment is right for them.
Remarks will be delivered during a news conference at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. The event will be livestreamed on the ACS Media Center.
This event presents an opportunity for journalists to connect with leaders in the field.
- WHAT: A live news conference featuring a panel of experts at the forefront of obesity care.
- WHEN: Monday, October 6, 2025, at 10 a.m. CT
- WHERE:
This news conference will include remarks from each expert, followed by a Q&A for reporters. Questions can be submitted virtually before or during the event.
To view the press briefing, visit the online ACS Media Center at 10 a.m. CT.
Reporters are invited to submit questions in advance to pressinquiry@facs.org.
Moderator
- Matthew Hutter, MD, MPH, MBA, FACS, FASMBS, DABS-FPMBS, chair of the Department of Surgery in the John Sealy School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch
Panelists
- Thomas C. Tsai, MD, MPH, FACS, Medical Director for Health Policy Research at the American College of Surgeons, associate professor of surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School
- Richard M. Peterson, MD, MPH, FACS, FASMBS, DABS-FPMBS, President, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), professor and chief bariatric and metabolic surgery director, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
- Monali Misra, MD, FACS, FRCSC, FASMBS, DABS-FPMBS, associate director of the Cedars-Sinai Marina Weight Management Center and director of the bariatric program, Beverly Hills Physicians
