Obesity

An in-depth look into what the drug is being used for and what has contributed to the shortage.

A new survey from the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions found that employers are planning to place a larger focus on obesity management, women’s health, and health equity in 2024 and beyond.

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended that children with obesity receive intensive counseling at age 6 to promote healthy diet and exercise habits; a new survey found that the majority of American patients are wary of their doctors using artificial intelligence (AI); a class-action lawsuit was filed Tuesday against health insurer Humana for using an AI algorithm that systemically denies seniors rehabilitation care recommended by their doctors.

End-of-year victory for lawmakers as health care policies pass in the House; insurance limitations prompt concerns over access to semaglutide (Ozempic) for diabetes; a legal battle ensues over the fate of abortion laws in Arizona.

Data analysis showed that 40% of patients who filled a prescription for Wegovy in 2021 or 2022 were still taking it a year later; both Democrats and reproductive rights organizations are pressuring the Biden administration to ensure health insurers fully cover contraception; CMS implemented Medicare changes in March that limited access to blood tests that help transplant recipients ensure their organs remain healthy.

The Obesity Action Coalition and other organizations are urging the FDA to address critical gaps in drug testing, emphasizing the need for specific testing in individuals with obesity to ensure safety and efficacy, as current practices expose this population to unnecessary risks.

Low vaccination rates raise fears of COVID-19 resurgence; a survey highlights racial discrimination in health care; Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide (Zepbound) has entered US pharmacies.

The prevalence of obesity in the Sutter Health system between 2015 and 2020 was 35%. Differences by race/ethnicity, health insurance, smoking status, and comorbidities were examined.

Findings were presented by researchers from the UC Irvine Health School of Medicine at the 2023 American Society for Preventive Cardiology's Congress on CVD Prevention.

After receiving 4.8 mg of survodutide weekly for 46 weeks, more than half of trial participants achieved weight loss of 15% or more.

Overall, home visitation staff support the use of technology-enhanced educational tools in conjunction with home visits to promote positive weight outcomes.

Independent FDA panel advises that the next round of COVID-19 vaccines only target XBB strains; the American Medical Association (AMA) says that only using body mass index (BMI) is not enough to evaluate health; teens with severe obesity look to controversial surgery and weight-loss drugs.

Type 2 diabetes drug tirzepatide (Mounjaro) helped some individuals lose nearly 16% of their body weight; some vital drugs have been sporadically in shortage for over 8 years; a bacterial outbreak of klebsiella claimed 4 lives and infected 31 people in a Seattle hospital.