Millions of Americans Could Benefit from Affordable Weight Loss Drugs

If more than half of American adults could easily lose weight with a simple medication. That’s what a new study found about semaglutide, the active ingredient in popular drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic. Researchers discovered that around 136. 8 million American adults might benefit from this drug. Why’s that significant? Well, it could help tackle obesity, type 2 diabetes, and even reduce heart disease risks. But here’s the kicker: these drugs aren’t cheap. Wegovy, for instance, costs about $1, 300 a month, while Ozempic costs around $1, 000. And many insurance companies don’t cover these costs, leading to a black market for cheaper, potentially unsafe versions of the drugs. The problem? Even though these drugs work well for weight loss, not everyone can afford them. Only about 12% of Americans have recently been prescribed these drugs, and only 6% are currently using them. This is a big deal, given that obesity and diabetes contribute to lots of early deaths and high healthcare costs.Researchers pointed out that many users struggle to pay for these drugs, even with insurance. This makes it hard for people to access a treatment that could greatly improve their health. It’s like having a key to a treasure chest but not being able to afford the lock. But here’s where things get interesting: even though not everyone might want or need semaglutide, the gap between those who could benefit and those who actually use it is massive. In fact, if more people used these drugs, it could prevent tens of thousands of deaths every year from obesity and diabetes-related health problems. Politicians like Senator Bernie Sanders have suggested that making these drugs more affordable could help more people benefit from them. He even wrote to Novo Nordisk, the company that makes Wegovy and Ozempic, to discuss this issue.