weight loss

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.

After developing Type 2 diabetes and having a heart attack in his 40s, Clearwater resident Fabricio Zambrano switched to a plant-based lifestyle.

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.

Cheaper versions of Wegovy and Zepbound touted on social media could be fleeting. Copies are legal now because the brand-name drugs are in short supply. But the drugmakers are boosting production.

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.

It's our monthly medical roundtable, when we dive into the month's most significant health headlines.

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."