Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are offering discounts to encourage more insurance coverage of the medicines, which carry price tags of over $1,000 a month.

Weight loss drugs have gained attention as a tool to help combat obesity, but understanding how they work, who they’re for, and their potential downsides is key to making informed decisions.

One of the researchers described the circumstances that led to the discovery as “serendipity.” This year’s prestigious Lasker medical awards recognize a trio of scientists without whom Ozempic and other blockbuster weight-loss drugs might not exist.

F ROM LOS ANGELES to London, weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic are reshaping culture as much as waistlines. Some Ozempic-takers have tiny appetites and dine at unusual hours to avoid spells of nausea.

Many people are doing an end-run around their doctor's office, reaching out to potentially unreliable sources that promise to set them up with Wegovy, Zepbound and other weight-loss drugs.

Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic are booming in popularity, but experts warn they aren't silver bullets for obesity.