Ozempic

A new HHS rule would require Medicare and Medicaid to cover drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound for a large segment of Americans. But it’s unclear if it will will have support of the Trump administration.

Most people taking drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have shed significant pounds. But obesity experts say that roughly 20% of patients — as many as 1 in 5 — may not see robust results with the medications.

In a leadership shakeup, the diet company says CEO Sima Sistani would leave her role effective immediately. Tara Comonte, a board member and former Shake Shack exec, was named interim chief.

As Congress pushes for Medicare to cover payment for anti-obesity drugs, Denmark — home of Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk — has limited coverage of the drug after cost overruns “emptied all the money boxes in the entire public health system.”

New research shows that the number of 12- to 25-year-olds who used the GLP-1 medications climbed from about 8,700 a month in 2020 to 60,000 a month in 2023.

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.

But some health experts worry about traditional diet companies and gyms getting in the medication business and believe the drugs will cater to society’s need for quick fixes.

The European Medicines Agency regulatory committee joins the FDA in saying there's no known tie between the semaglutide obesity drugs and suicide.

Health officials say a preliminary review finds no connection between suicidal thoughts and a new class of diabetes and obesity drugs, but they cannot definitively rule out “a small risk may exist."

Thousands of fake units of the drug have been seized by the FDA, which is working alongside the manufacturer to test the counterfeit products for safety concerns.