Weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound have been hailed as a revolution. Yet the high cost and lack of insurance coverage make them largely unattainable.
Dr. Laure DeMattia, a bariatric medicine specialist in Norman, Oklahoma, feels the frustration of her patients as they struggle to lose weight.
Almost all of her patients at a weight-loss clinic in the suburbs south of Oklahoma City could be helped by the new class of medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy — if they could afford them.
“My patients have already done Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem. They’ve done the high protein, low carb,” she said. “They’ve already done as much as they thought was physically possible to alter their diet and exercise.”
What many of them haven’t done is take a monthly injection of semaglutide or tirzepatide. DeMattia can give them a prescription for Wegovy or Zepbound, but that’s just the beginning. They then face a complicated, often frustrating battle to pay for the expensive medications.
“Our Medicare and Medicaid populations are some of the most at-risk and they do not have access to any anti-obesity medication,” she said.
Government enforced monopoly is the main thing keeping the price so high…
These small peptides are pretty cheap to manufacture.
I have severe Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and Lipedema; and need WeGovy to stop the pressure on my joints. Doctors have tried every weight loss option and this is what’s left. I haven’t been able to get it and every day degrades my joints and ligaments further. I’m annoyed that there are so many people just getting it to look good, when there’s so many of us that need it to survive. I’m not even big (180lbs), but because of the EDS, it’s dangerous to have that weight.
Do these drugs have health benefits for people who are merely overweight but not obese? I feel like the stigma around not “earning” weight loss could be restricting their use to only cases of extreme need but I haven’t researched this.
Yes. Basically anyone who takes them lose weight. There is a 15% reduction in body weight for anyone on the drugs. That’s a 30lb weight loss for a 200lb person, which is huge.
Good article, thank you. Interesting that it’s only offered for 30+ bmi unless there are other associated health issues. Given that there is some evidence of thyroid cancer risk, and given the high cost, I guess they have to balance it against the potential benefits. Which I assume are higher the for people with higher bmi.
“They’ve already done as much as they thought was physically possible to alter their diet and exercise.”
That’s just not true. It’s easier to lose weight with these new drugs, but these people have definitely not done as much as possible.
If you’re obese and trying to lose weight I have two words for you: foam insoles. Skinny people never tell you about them because they don’t really need them.
You can’t “outrun your fork” but it’s really hard to eat 4000 calories per day. If you start jogging a mile a day, three day per week, 2 miles will be easy before you know it. You literally can’t be fat if you jog 20 miles every week.
Yes because people with asthma, sciatica, ataxia, arthritis, amputees, or any number of other physical disabilities don’t exist. Also literally everyone has access to safe places to jog and the time for it so we’re in the green there too. Or feedback loops where weight gain can cause depression which leads to weight gain, haven’t those people ever thought of just not being depressed and overweight?
Congrats, where so many have failed before, you rose above and solved the obesity epidemic with the power of squishy shoes
To tag unto this great response.
There was a point in my life that I was no longer losing any weight even while doing 5 hours of cardio every week on top of 5 hours of weight training. I was also only eating one meal a day. However, I wasn’t counting calories. Once I started counting calories I was able to fit in alcohol and junk food in moderation and still lose weight. Both of which helped curb binge eating.
Do you think disabled people don’t exercise? Do you think literally no one can benefit from this advice?
Did you know that problems don’t have to be solved by a silver bullet? Solutions can be made up in pieces, and yes “squishy shoes” are good advice for fatasses who want to get fit.
Omg I love this, you’re so easy to tilt and you’re such an asshole 😂
Ignoring the fact that jogging when you’re severely overweight is a really good way to fuck your joints, 20 miles of jogging for a 250 lbs person is only around 4000 calories. I burn nearly that much in a given day at work, and yet here I am at 250 lbs. If I didn’t have work physical labor, I’d be pushing 350. 20 miles of jogging every week will do wonders for your cardiovascular health, but the idea that you literally can’t be fat if you burn an extra 571 calories a day is silly
