Weight loss drug ozempic

Diabetes drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro are in shortage, leaving fewer options for patients with clinical needs.

If you have obesity or type 2 diabetes and are looking for support with managing your weight, talk to your provider about the possibility of taking a weight loss medication. “The medicine is being selectively prescribed to people who pay for it out of pocket,” Bessesen said. The cost to insurers of covering the 40% of Americans who have obesity,2 Bessesen said, is “untenable.” People with obesity finally have something that's helping us, and it's being hijacked by the same people who mock us for having obesity. Some providers argue that prescribing the drugs will distract people from making important lifestyle changes, like adhering to a healthy diet and exercise. [Reshmi Srinath, MD](https://profiles.mountsinai.org/reshmi-i-srinath), director of the Mount Sinai weight and metabolism management program, said that many patients she treats have already tried lifestyle changes. The drug has also shown great success as a weight loss medication, and the company is now seeking an indication for obesity. Part of the reason, Bessesen said, is that providers may recall the fraught history of weight loss drugs. “The same people who always tell us, ‘you just need to move more and eat less’ are the people out there wanting this to lose 15 pounds. Bramblette was hopeful that Wegovy would give her the support she needed to shed some pounds and care for her heart health. But Bramblette is on Medicare for disability, and the government health program doesn’t cover medications for obesity. Then, in June 2021, a drug called Wegovy (semaglutide) was approved for weight loss, making it the first anti-obesity medication in the U.S.