ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
The popularity of obesity drugs like Wegovy is showing no sign of slowing down. New data showed that in 2024, more people are seeking them out than ever before. NPR pharmaceuticals correspondent Sydney Lupkin reports.
SYDNEY LUPKIN, BYLINE: Doctor Sarah Nosal, a family physician in the South Bronx, New York, says a lot more of her patients have come in asking about obesity drugs this year.
SARAH NOSAL: They've heard a friend is on it. They have questions about it. They want to know for themselves or for a family member. Just have questions - is this safe? Is this something that I should be on? Is this something we should consider?
LUPKIN: Nosal, who is also president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians, isn't the only one. Zocdoc, an online scheduling platform for doctors appointments, says it's seen a big increase for 2024 in patients seeking consultations about semaglutide. That's the active ingredient in blockbuster obesity drug Wegovy and Type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic. Zocdoc's CEO, Oliver Kharraz, says in some ways, appointments for these weight loss drugs don't line up with patients' usual patterns around health care.
OLIVER KHARRAZ: For example, when Oprah announced she was on Ozempic earlier this year, we saw a huge spike in weight loss bookings.
LUPKIN: More of them are virtual, and many were booked between March and May, which isn't usually Zocdoc's busy season. And the data points to some recent changes. While women still make up the majority of patients seeking these medicines, men have become increasingly interested in obesity drugs this year. There was a 71% increase among men booking these appointments compared with a 50% increase among women. Zocdoc didn't release the raw numbers of these appointments booked through its system. Dr. Scott Isaacs, president-elect of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology, says that years ago, society thought of weight loss as merely cosmetic.
SCOTT ISAACS: As times change and as we realize that weight loss is beneficial for your health, and more and more people are experiencing weight-related complications, I think the gender gap is starting to equalize a little bit.
LUPKIN: One thing the Zocdoc data can't show is how many patients are actually able to get and fill their prescriptions. The drugs aren't for everyone - for instance, people looking to lose only a few pounds. And often Wegovy isn't covered by insurance. That means even when a doctor prescribes it, patients are left to pay more than a thousand dollars a month. Many simply can't afford that. Sydney Lupkin, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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