Press Releases

Medifast, Inc. , in an effort to enhance and continue the strong medical backing of its meal replacement programs, announced the formation of a Scientific Advisory Board. The role of the Board, consisting of seven medical experts in various fields, is to continually review the effectiveness, safety, and nutritional benefits of Medifast's products and programs. The team of specialists will also assist in the development of new Meals and supplements, as well as weight-loss approaches for specific medical needs.

"The Scientific Advisory Board is an important step in the evolution of Medifast as we continue to enhance our program's medical backing," said Michael S. McDevitt, Chief Executive Officer, Medifast, Inc. "The Board is also an opportunity to further validate our brand's clinical presence and stature in the industry."

The work of this cross-disciplinary group builds on Medifast's heritage of medically sound approaches to weight loss, and the incorporation of leading-edge clinical research into the company's products and programs. Medifast's Scientific Advisory Board consists of scientific and medical experts with backgrounds in a variety of topics, including weight management and nutrition.

  The Scientific Advisory Board:

  Lawrence J. Cheskin, M.D., FACP
  Founder and Director
  The Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center

Associate Professor Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Medical Institutes

  Gastroenterologist and Obesity Expert


  Homer Chin, M.D.

Medical Director for Clinical Information, Systems Kaiser Permanente Northwest

Clinical Professor, Medical Informatics, Oregon Health & Science University

  Medical Informatics Expert


  Miriam Cohen, M.D., FACC
  Heart Associates Cardiologist
  Assistant Professor of Cardiology
  University of Maryland Medical School
  Cardiology Expert


  Alison Duncan, Ph.D., RD

Associate Professor, Department of Human Health and Natural Sciences, University of Guelph

  Functional Foods Expert



  Scott Kahan, M.D., MPH
  Attending Physician
  The George Washington University Weight Management Center
  Instructor Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
  Preventive Medicine and Obesity Specialist


  Debra Miller, Ph.D.
  Director of Nutrition, The Hershey Company
  Phytonutrient Expert


  Varsha Vaidya, M.D.

Director, Obesity Psychiatry Program, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University and School of Medicine

Obesity Psychiatry Expert

For more than 25 years, Medifast has been prescribed by healthcare practitioners as a safe and effective program that has been clinically proven to yield significant weight loss of two to five pounds per week. Since 1980, 15,000 physicians from across the country have trusted Medifast to provide their patients with the highest quality, nutritious weight-loss and disease-management solutions.

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  About Medifast:

Medifast is the leading easy-to-use, clinically proven portion-controlled weight loss program. Medifast has been recommended by 15,000 physicians and used by over one million customers. Medifast is committed to enriching lives by providing innovative choices for lasting health. Medifast programs have been proven effective through studies by major university teaching hospitals. The company sells its products and programs via four unique distribution channels: 1) the web and national call centers, 2) the Take Shape For Life direct-selling division, a network of health coaches, 3) medically supervised Medifast Weight Control Centers, and 4) national network of physicians. Medifast was founded in 1980 and is located in Owings Mills, Maryland. For more information, log onto www.choosemedifast.com.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: bgleason@choosemedifast.com

SOURCE: Medifast, Inc.