Pareeta Kotecha, a graduate student in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, is one of nine early-career researchers from across the nation who received a 2026 Value Assessment and Health Outcomes Research Award from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA, Foundation.
This annual award aims to optimize patient outcomes by supporting researchers whose work strengthens the evidence base necessary to improve health care decision-making. Kotecha said receiving this honor affirms the value of the scientific questions her work pursues.
“As a Ph.D. student, the journey often involves many highs and lows, often with delayed gratification. It can be easy at times to lose sight of the motivation that first led you to this work. Receiving this award serves as an important reminder to stay curious, continue asking meaningful questions and pursue innovative approaches, even during uncertain moments,” she said. “Overall, this recognition motivates me to continue advancing my research skills while strengthening my commitment to generating evidence that can improve patient outcomes and inform health care decision-making.”
Kotecha’s predoctoral award provides $30,000 of annual funding for up to two years, support that she’ll use to further her research assessing use patterns of GLP-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1RAs, and the mental health impact of these drugs on children and adolescents.
“While these glucose-lowering medications are being prescribed more commonly for children and adolescents with obesity or type 2 diabetes, we still don’t fully know how consistently young patients take them, or how they may affect their mental health. I will use large health care databases to track medication use and these health outcomes over time,” said Kotecha, who is mentored by Serena Jingchuan Guo, M.D., Ph.D., a courtesy faculty member in the Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, and Steven Smith, Pharm.D., M.P.H., associate professor and chair of the department.
Kotecha’s study will identify factors affecting consistent GLP-1RA use, pulling evidence from real-world data and the perspectives of the patients themselves, as well as their providers and caregivers. Kotecha said this project has the potential to improve outcomes for a patient population whose health is closely tied to what lays ahead for our world.
“By better understanding the risk profile, clinicians can make more informed treatment decisions and more effectively continue to monitor this vulnerable population,” Kotecha said. “As this young population will shape the future, it is critical to ensure that these medications are not only effective but safe.”