Optimal Treatment Strategies for Use of Anti-Obesity Medications (AOMs) in Children and Adolescents Research Coordinating Center

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites applications for a Research Coordinating Center (RCC) for a consortium of clinical centers that will test anti-obesity medication (AOM) treatment strategies for youth with obesity to maximize benefits and minimize risks of AOM use. Priority areas include testing strategies to determine optimal developmental stage for AOM initiation, rate and amount of weight loss, AOM class, dose, frequency, and duration, and content and intensity of adjunct lifestyle therapies that may be imperative to ensure normal psychological and physical development and to potentially avoid lifelong dependence on AOMs. Investigators should also evaluate potential predictors of response/ nonresponse to various treatment strategies under evaluation.

The consortium may conduct independent or multicenter trials but will collaborate on the development of protocols, use of common measures and data elements, use of a central laboratory and standardized procedures to collect data and biospecimens, and data analyses and manuscripts. The RCC will lead, manage, and harmonize efforts for the Consortium including 1) providing management and administrative support; 2) providing leadership and expertise on statistical design and analysis, 3) providing research coordination with a central laboratory, harmonizing data collection methods and common data elements, data management and data analyses for Consortium studies; and 4) fostering research collaborations.