Amazon Pharmacy Joins the Weight Loss Drug Game

Amazon Pharmacy has started selling Novo Nordisk's new weight loss pill, Wegovy. This pill is a big deal because it's the first oral version of a drug that was previously only available as an injection. The price is also quite attractive, with cash-paying customers able to get it for $149 a month. Those with insurance might pay as little as $25 a month. This pill is entering a market that has been dominated by expensive weekly injections from companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. By offering it on Amazon, Novo Nordisk is trying to reach more people who might not normally go to a traditional pharmacy. Amazon plans to sell the Wegovy pill through its prescription vending kiosks in select One Medical clinics soon. Amazon Pharmacy was launched in 2020 after Amazon bought PillPack and later One Medical. The service focuses on fast delivery and clear pricing, offering same-day prescription delivery to nearly half of U. S. consumers.Amazon Pharmacy has been working with other companies too. For example, it partnered with Weight Watchers to deliver weight loss medications to its members. It also collaborates with Eli Lilly to deliver certain prescription medications, including its obesity drug Zepbound. The Wegovy pill is also available at over 70, 000 U. S. pharmacies, like CVS and Costco, as well as through some telehealth providers. Cash-paying patients can also get it for $149 a month on President Donald Trump's direct-to-consumer website, TrumpRx, which is set to launch in January. Health experts think that having an oral option could help more people get treatment for obesity. It might reach those who were scared of needles or thought injections were too intense. Eli Lilly also has a rival obesity pill that is expected to get FDA approval later this year.