Employers and employees spent more than $400 billion on obesity care in 2023; Novo Nordisk's CEO said weight loss drug Wegovy can reduce these costs — an inverse of critics' expectations.
GLP-1s
Many cardiac drugs have notoriously low adherence rates, but GLP-1s may be overcoming that problem, according to Northwell Health cardiologist, Jeffrey Wessler, MD.
There's no shortage of headlines and hypotheticals about the blockbuster drug class of GLP-1s. Stephen Klasko, MD, argues we're asking the wrong questions about GLP-1s.
Labels for GLP-1 medications, like Ozempic and Mounjaro, might see more approved uses as researchers study the drugs' effects on sleep apnea, dementia and other health issues. Meanwhile, oncologists are looking at a GLP-1 role in cancer care.
As experts forecast GLP-1 medications boosting national economies, the manufacturers of these popular drugs have reported fruitful second quarters.
Advertisement
Nearly half of online pharmacies that sell semaglutide — the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy — are doing so illegally, posing safety risks for consumers, according to a study published Aug. 2 in JAMA Network Open.
There has been an uptick in patients being treated for eating disorders who are abusing GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy, according to research published Aug. 1 in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.
A GLP-1 medication might protect against dementia, according to researchers of a phase 2 trial that found liraglutide could slow cognitive decline by 18% after one year of use.
Up to 30% of GLP-1 medications are acquired by patients through compounding pharmacies instead of the weight loss drugs' manufacturers like Novo Nordisk or Eli Lilly, according to KFF Health News.
In recent years, more prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs were written to treat obesity than Type 2 diabetes, adding to accessibility and shortage concerns, according to a study published July 23 in Annals of Internal Medicine.