A new option is available for people trying to lose weight. For several years, doctors have prescribed injectable GLP-1 medicines like Zepbound and Wegovy. But now patients can take a GLP-1 without a once-a-week needle. Now it can be as simple as taking a Wegovy pill, which could be more accessible for patients for several reasons.
“It’s very, very exciting. The thing that’s so important about it is that it’s going to be less expensive. It’s easier to distribute,” said Dr. Louis Aronne, director of comprehensive weight control center, Weill Cornell Medicine.
He’s one of many providers that can now write a prescription for a GLP-1 weight loss medicine in pill form.
What You Need To Know
There’s an approved version of GLP-1 weight loss medicine in pill form
Taking a pill could be favorable to an injection, as the injection requires refrigeration
One doctor expects the pill could be more popoualr than the injection, and it could potentially be less expensive
“When you think about other chronic diseases, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, what we found is that the earlier you treat people, the easier it is to treat. The better result you’ll get. So, what I envision is going to happen is that people are going to be seen earlier and treated earlier,” said Aronne.
“So by losing weight, and it’s not just, making you look good of course, looking good is good, but also be healthier, right?” said Dr. Julie Colvin.
Colvin prescribes GLP-1 weight loss medicine to some of her patients. She sees the new pill version as a way to make the medicine more accessible.
“The biggest barrier we have right now is a lack of insurance coverage. Insurance companies don’t want to cover these medications, but I think that there is a possibility that now that we have oral medicines available, they will be willing to cover it,” said Aronne.
GLP-1 medicine for weight loss has previously only been available with an injection. But recently a pill version was released, and Aronne believes the pill is going to be a popular method to take the drug.
“I believe this is going to be a major advance in treating people who have weight problems and the reason is it’s going to be more accessible. It’s going to be less expensive. There’s no injection, which deters a lot of people. Side effect-wise, it’s the same. There’s really no difference,” said Aronne.
While the shot is taken on a weekly basis, the oral medicine will be daily, and patients would need to take it on an empty stomach a half an hour before eating.
Aronne says there’s another version of the pill coming out later this year. But he says the pill will have the same impact as the injection in terms of weight loss. There are side effects to Wegovy, like any medicine, including gallbladder issues, risk of low blood sugar, and stomach problems, to name a few.