Overweight Americans are paying at least double—and up to 10 times more—for blockbuster drugs to help them shed unwanted pounds, compared to their peers in similarly wealthy nations.
Western diets heavy on high fructose corn syrup and processed carbohydrates have sparked an epidemic of age-related Type 2 diabetes. This has led hand in hand to a boom in demand for semaglutide and tirzepatide, better known under their brand names Ozempic and Mounjaro. Since they also often prove effective at regulating appetite, the duo are finding increased off-label use as a way to combat excessive weight.
