Co-participation in obesity restricts access and excludes primary care, doctors criticize

Family doctors criticized the government's decision to limit access to obesity medications, arguing it excludes primary care and overwhelms hospital consultations. Nuno Jacinto, president of the Portuguese Association of General and Family Medicine, expressed concerns about the restrictions imposed by a new regulation that allows only endocrinologists, internal medicine doctors, or pediatricians to prescribe these medications. He highlighted the shortage of specialists in many local health units, making access difficult for patients. The new policy requires patients to be monitored by a multidisciplinary obesity care team, which Jacinto believes will further strain hospital resources and deny many patients access to necessary treatments. He emphasized the need for family doctors to be involved in prescribing obesity medications, as they already manage related health issues like diabetes and hypertension.