The widespread acceptance of the so-called GLP-1 drugs, Zepbound by Eli Lilly and Wegovy by Novo Nordisk, for weight loss has created a game-changing dynamic for the overall health of the 72% of Americans who struggle with maintaining a healthy weight.
The U.S. presently ranks among the most obese nations in the world and the trend had been predicted to climb upwards. However, for the first time in decades, obesity rates among Americans declined in 2024, reversing decades of our unhealthy collective weight gain as a nation. (The average American male today weighs 30 pounds more than he did in 1960 and the average American female today weighs 26 pounds more than she did in 1960 — and no, it’s not because we are taller today than then.)
The principal reason for this welcome reversal has been the use of the GLP-1 drugs, which have been shown both to decrease a person’s appetite (thereby preventing overeating) and to make sugary, salty, and high-fat foods less appealing.
These drugs initially were formulated to assist persons with diabetes to maintain control of their blood sugar levels. However, it soon became clear that the drugs had the “side-effect” of a reduction in patients’ body-weight because the drugs reduced their cravings and overeating.
Yes, the GLP-1 drugs have side-effects — patients who use them lose muscle mass — but overall, the drugs have been nothing short of a miracle for persons who struggle with eating healthily. In addition, the drugs have shown promise both in combating a number of other addictive behaviors (including alcohol abuse and gambling) and having direct, positive effects on other health conditions such as cardiovascular disease (the drugs lower blood pressure, among other things).
Making these drugs affordable for all Amercans (in addition to those who receive prescriptions for their diabetes treatment for whom insurance covers the cost) should be the proverbial no-brainer. Yes, the drugs are extremely expensive (about $1500 per month without insurance), but those costs will come down as Eli Lilly ramps up production at its new drug-making facilities in the near-future. Further, the federal government can negotiate price reductions for those on Medicare.
But right now, these drugs, when used for weight control only, are available as a practical matter only to the very wealthy who can afford the high price tag. In addition to plain fairness, making these drugs affordable for everybody who needs them to reduce their weight by covering them under insurance will make our nation healthier, which not only is a laudable goal in itself, but also will reduce our health care costs (most of which are traceable to being overweight) in the years ahead.
In short, failing to make the GLP-1 drugs widely affordable and available to all Americans is the proverbial case of being penny-wise and pound-foolish (and yes, the pun is intended.)