Category: GLP-1s

Patients who took semaglutide, the main ingredient of Wegovy and Ozempic, died less often from COVID-19 compared to those who took a placebo, according to a study published Aug. 30 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

Whether a GLP-1 medication is approved for diabetes or chronic weight management, declaring one therapy as “best” for weight loss is tricky. 

Counterfeit Ozempic presentations, known as “faux-zempic,” are on the rise in legal and illegal supply chains, The New York Times reported July 12. 

Citing high costs, payers are favoring bariatric surgeries over Wegovy and similar medications, according to an NYU Langone expert. It’s unclear if insurers’ policies can quell the booming popularity of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, though.