PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — WeightWatchers has jumped into the prescription weight loss drug business.
WW International said it’s acquiring subscription telehealth platform Sequence.
It offers users access to drugs used to treat diabetes and obesity under the brand names Ozempic, Wegovy and Trulicity.
They said the drugs all work by the same mechanism: triggering the release of insulin, blocking sugar production in the liver and suppressing appetite.
“All of these medications: Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda are very cost prohibitive. Insurance will cover them, sometimes if you’re diabetic,” OSF advance practice nurse, Rachel Fehl, who works in obesity medicine said. “But for the treatment of weight management… unfortunately they’re usually not covered and are in the range of about $1,200 a month.”
Ozempic has increased in popularity due to celebrities touting it for weight loss.
Local nurses are expressing shortage concerns by people using the drug for weight loss, instead of its intended purpose.
