Obesity and Weight Clinical Trials in Miami, FL
PharmaDev Clinical Research Institute is enrolling adults in obesity and weight-related clinical research studies at our Miami office. Some of the studies below evaluate investigational medicines for weight management on their own; others examine weight together with obstructive sleep apnea, since the two conditions are closely linked.
These are research studies rather than a weight-loss program: their purpose is to evaluate whether an investigational medicine is safe and how it performs, and no outcome can be promised. Every study is reviewed by an Institutional Review Board and conducted under the direct supervision of Edward Mezerhane, MD, who is board certified in obesity medicine as well as internal medicine and sleep medicine. Study-related care is provided at no cost and taking part is voluntary at every stage.
Studies open now · 3 studies
Each study below is running at our Miami office. Open one to see what taking part involves, who may be able to join, and to apply.
Does any of this sound familiar?
- Weight that comes back after every diet, however strictly you follow it
- Difficulty losing weight despite eating carefully and staying active
- Weight gain that began with a medication, a change in sleep, or a life event
- Being told to eat less and move more, without that advice working
- Weight-related problems such as joint pain, high blood pressure or high blood sugar
- Losing weight and regaining it repeatedly over years
These are things people with this condition often describe — they are not a diagnosis. Whether a study is a fit is confirmed at a screening visit with our physician, provided at no cost to you.
About this condition
Obesity
Obesity is a chronic, relapsing medical condition in which excess body fat affects health. It is commonly identified using body mass index, a ratio of weight to height, although BMI alone does not capture where fat is carried or a person's overall metabolic health.
It is driven by a combination of genetics, hormones, medications, sleep, environment and behavior, which is why it rarely responds durably to willpower alone. It is associated with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, joint problems and obstructive sleep apnea. Care today spans nutrition and activity, behavioral support, medication and surgery.
Common questions
Is there a body mass index requirement?
Yes, and it differs by study — each protocol sets its own range, usually with a lower threshold and sometimes an upper one, and some allow a lower BMI when a weight-related condition such as sleep apnea or type 2 diabetes is present. Each listing states its criteria, and we confirm the exact figure at your screening visit.
Can I take part if I am already on a GLP-1 medication?
Sometimes. Some protocols exclude recent use of GLP-1 medicines, some require a washout period before starting, and some are designed around people already taking one. Tell us what you are on and when you started, and we will check it against the open studies.
Are these weight-loss programs?
No. They are clinical research studies evaluating investigational medicines, and taking part may involve receiving a placebo. Nutrition and activity guidance is often included as part of the protocol, but the purpose is research and no result can be guaranteed.
What is involved besides taking the study medicine?
Typically regular clinic visits for weight and vital signs, blood work, questionnaires, and — in studies that also examine sleep apnea — sleep testing. Some studies involve an injection you give yourself, which our staff teach you to do. Each listing gives its own duration and visit count.
Can I take part if I have sleep apnea as well?
Yes, and it may open more options: two of the studies on this page enroll adults who have both excess weight and obstructive sleep apnea, run by the same team in the same building as our sleep studies.
Further reading
These two conditions are so often found together that finding one is a reason to look for the other.
Most of what people imagine about weight-loss trials is wrong in both directions. Here is the ordinary version.
Clinical trials are more structured and more supervised than most people expect. Here is the whole sequence.
Other conditions we study
See if you may be able to take part
Complete the form and a research coordinator will contact you within 24 hours. Se habla español.
Study visits take place at our office in the Kendall area of Miami, with parking on site.
Participants may be compensated for their time and travel. Compensation varies by study and is explained in full before you decide to take part.
Prefer to talk? Call (305) 420-5636 — Se habla español.