Mounjaro

The makers of Ozempic and Mounjaro charge charge around $1,000 a month for the drugs, and insurers are reluctant to pick up the tab. Often, low-income patients have to resort to less effective treatments.

Weight-loss medications tamp down hunger — often dramatically — causing some people to lose the pleasure of communing over food at a festive family meal.

Many welcome what they say is greater control over what they eat. “I don’t care about the bread as much. I still eat what I enjoy,” says one Tampa area woman who lost more than 200 pounds taking Mounjaro.

The medication is called tirzepatide. It is under review to treat obesity in the U.S. A decision is expected later this year.