Weight loss has been one of the most talked about topics of 2023 and it’s certain to heat up even more in the new year.
Florida is now blanketed with med spas, weight management clinics, and online pharmacies that sell Ozempic, Wegovy and drugs that contain the compound, semaglutide, that squelches hunger and food cravings. In 2024, new weight loss drugs are on their way to the Sunshine State as are new diets and more ways to get medications for dropping pounds with minimal effort.
“I think we are going to see more of these drugs and more side effects,” said Dr. Eneida Roldan, an obesity specialist, professor and associate dean of Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.
The hype over weight loss drugs took hold in 2023, fueled by celebrities posting their before and after Ozempic photos on social media. Comedian Tracy Morgan had this to say: “I went and got a prescription, and I got Ozempic. And I ain’t letting it go … It cuts my appetite in half. Now I only eat half a bag of Doritos.”
Ozempic, a drug used to treat diabetes, and Wegovy, a drug for obesity, are being used off-label to help people drop pounds fast — whether 10 pounds or 100. These drugs work by reducing the appetite and allowing users to feel full sooner.
Floridians have joined the national craze, even forming Ozempic support groups on Facebook where they swap tales of their weight-loss journeys. Mounjaro also has joined the drugs intended for diabetes but being used by Americans for weight loss. Its active ingredient is tirzepatide and like Ozempic, it is given as a once-weekly injection in the stomach, thigh or arm.
Mounjaro sells for a list price of about $1,023 per fill, which is equal to a month’s supply or four injector pens, according to Eli Lilly. Wegovy is slightly more costly with a list price of $1,349 for a month’s supply. Many private health insurance plans still do not cover obesity medications and shortages of the drugs…
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