Medicare To Cover Wegovy For Patients At Risk Of Heart Disease, Stroke
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said Thursday that the pricey weight-loss drug Wegovy will be covered for Medicare beneficiaries who have an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, or other serious cardiovascular problems. Other news related to such medications reports on teens' use, and a lawsuit alleging harm.
NBC News:
Medicare Will Cover Wegovy To Reduce Heart Disease Risk
Medicare will provide coverage for Wegovy for patients with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke or other serious cardiovascular problems, an agency spokesperson said Thursday. The decision, experts say, could grant millions of patients access to the popular yet expensive weight loss medication. Medicare, which currently provides health insurance to more than 65 million people in the U.S., has long been barred from paying for weight loss drugs. (Lovelace Jr., 3/21)
CBS News:
Doctors Warn Against Teens And Young Adults Using Drugs Like Ozempic To Lose Weight
Experts are concerned that teens and young adults may be seeking weight loss drugs for the wrong reasons. ... Doctors say these medications should not be seen as the first or best option to lose weight, especially if someone only wants to shed 5 or 10 pounds or tone a certain area, like the belly. When used inappropriately, these drugs can cause unwanted side effects and could make someone look older. (Marshall, 3/21)
USA Today:
Lawsuits: Ozempic, Other Weight Loss And Diabetes Drugs Harmful
Paulsen Bronston tried different medications to manage his diabetes, to no avail, before his doctor suggested a new drug.In 2018, the doctor advised Bronston, who lives in the Navajo Nation, to take Ozempic to lower his blood sugar. The benefits outweighed any risk of side effects, his physician said. ... "I started hurting really bad. I got yellow eyes and stuff like that," Bronston said. "Next thing you know, I was in the hospital, having my gallbladder removed." (Alltucker, 3/21)
Also —
Healthline:
Oprah Special On Weight Loss Drugs: 5 Key Takeaways
Experts who treat people with obesity say Oprah Winfrey’s efforts to reduce the shame and stigma around obesity are important. “When celebrities speak about weight loss medications, and even weight loss in general, people definitely pay more attention, and it brings more interest in options available for weight loss,” says Mir Ali, MD, a bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center. (Mayer, 3/21)
Medscape:
Can An Ingestible Vibrating Capsule Tackle Obesity?
A novel vibrating capsule that signals a postprandial feeling of fullness reduced both food and energy intake and lowered weight gain in animal studies, said researchers who are developing it as a more affordable treatment for obesity. The capsule, called the Vibrating Ingestible BioElectronic Stimulator (VIBES), is the size of a large adult multivitamin pill and is meant to be swallowed before a meal. The VIBES capsule works by stimulating gastric stretch receptors that signal the brain through the vagal nerve and stimulate a sense of satiety. (Davenport, 3/19)
