Starting in June, ASA received historic media coverage when it released guidance to withhold glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists used for diabetes and weight loss (such as Ozempic® and Wegovy®) before elective surgery to reduce the risk of complications associated with anesthesia. Initial coverage of the guidance included Reuters, CNBC, Medpage Today, and WebMD, among others. “The group [ASA] has received anecdotal reports from across the country that patients taking the drugs may be at increased risk of vomiting and aspirating food into the lungs and airways during general anesthesia or deep sedation,” ASA President Michael W. Champeau, MD, FAAP, FASA, said in an interview with Reuters.

The coverage continued through July and August in top outlets such as People magazine, ABC News, NBC’s TODAY, CNN, Rolling Stone, and The Associated Press due to ongoing public interest and concerns about the medications. People magazine quoted Dr. Champeau stating, “The food coming up out of the stomach and getting down into the lungs is a major safety concern for anesthesiologists and has been for over a hundred years. That’s why we are such sticklers about people fasting before surgery to be sure their stomach is empty.”

The proactive outreach to promote the guidance resulted in more than 1,000 news placements, reaching an audience of more than 5 billion.