Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Are the newest weight loss drugs—Ozempic, Wegovy, etc.—really that much better than previous antiobesity medications? A lot has been written about the economic opportunities these drugs might present, but what can we say about their long-term effectiveness?
References
1. Shchukina S. Ozempic’s biggest side effect: Turning Denmark into a ‘pharmastate’? Planet Money (NPR). July 30, 2024. npr.org/sections/planet-money/2024/07/26/g-s1-13534/ozempic-biggest-side-effect-denmark-pharmastate
2. Lovelace B (Jr.) and Fitzgerald M. Ozempic maker defends high U.S. price: It’s ‘helping’ reduce the cost of obesity. NBC News. August 25, 2024. nbcnews.com/health/health-news/ozempic-maker-defends-high-us-price-s-helping-reduce-cost-obesity-rcna161175
3. Berman R. Why weight loss drugs stop working and how to break past the Ozempic plateau. Medical News Today. January 2, 2024. medicalnewstoday.com/articles/why-weight-loss-drugs-stop-working-how-to-break-past-ozempic-plateau
4. Common side effects (web page). Novo nordisk. Accessed May 31, 2025. ozempic.com/how-to-take/side-effects.html
5. Nauck MA, Friedrich N. Do GLP-1-based therapies increase cancer risk?. Diabetes Care. 2013;36 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S245-S252. doi:10.2337/dcS13-2004
Are the newest weight loss drugs—Ozempic, Wegovy, etc.—really that much better than previous antiobesity medications? A lot has been written about the economic opportunities these drugs might present, but what can we say about their long-term effectiveness?
References
1. Shchukina S. Ozempic’s biggest side effect: Turning Denmark into a ‘pharmastate’? Planet Money (NPR). July 30, 2024. npr.org/sections/planet-money/2024/07/26/g-s1-13534/ozempic-biggest-side-effect-denmark-pharmastate
2. Lovelace B (Jr.) and Fitzgerald M. Ozempic maker defends high U.S. price: It’s ‘helping’ reduce the cost of obesity. NBC News. August 25, 2024. nbcnews.com/health/health-news/ozempic-maker-defends-high-us-price-s-helping-reduce-cost-obesity-rcna161175
3. Berman R. Why weight loss drugs stop working and how to break past the Ozempic plateau. Medical News Today. January 2, 2024. medicalnewstoday.com/articles/why-weight-loss-drugs-stop-working-how-to-break-past-ozempic-plateau
4. Common side effects (web page). Novo nordisk. Accessed May 31, 2025. ozempic.com/how-to-take/side-effects.html
5. Nauck MA, Friedrich N. Do GLP-1-based therapies increase cancer risk?. Diabetes Care. 2013;36 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S245-S252. doi:10.2337/dcS13-2004
