Safety Concerns Loom as Obesity Drugs Head to Clinical Trials in Kids as Young as 6

As childhood obesity rates surge globally, pharma giants test weight loss drugs on kids despite safety concerns over side effects and long-term health impacts.

joshimerbin/Shutterstock

Pharmaceutical superpower Eli Lilly is trying out its weight loss drug tirzepatide in kids between 6 and 11 years old. The effort comes as GLP-1 medications surge in popularity as a knockout success in the battle against obesity in adults.

The small, phase I clinical trial will zero in on 30 prepubescent children with a body mass index in the 95th percentile for their age and sex and who have failed to achieve weight loss through lifestyle changes. Participants will receive either tirzepatide or a placebo over 13 weeks. The study is slated for completion by the end of 2024.

Tirzepatide’s Off-Label Use 

Tirzepatide, commercially branded as Mounjaro, gained approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May 2022 to treat type 2 diabetes in adults who diet and exercise but has since been making headlines as a miracle drug for people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 and over.