Twelve million people lost coverage for Zepbound over the last year. The same number of people lost coverage for Wegovy, according to an analysis by GoodRx, a drug discount website.
The daily pill called Foundayo got a fast track through the Food and Drug Administration. It will compete with the pill form of Wegovy as an alternative to obesity drugs given by injection.
Drugs like Zepbound and Wegovy are intended for people who are overweight. Some patients are using them after bariatric surgery to keep pounds from creeping back. Others may just want to lose a few pounds.
Drugmaker Novo Nordisk said the prescription medicine can be found at a range of pharmacies, including CVS and Costco, as well as some telehealth providers.
Instead of struggling with weekly injections, patients may soon be able to swallow a daily pill to lose weight. Both the makers of Wegovy and Mounjaro are seeking FDA approval for tablets.
While some compounding pharmacies have stopped making alternatives to Wegovy and Zepbound since shortages were declared over, others are continuing and pushing regulatory boundaries.
Compounding pharmacies have been allowed to essentially make a cheaper version of Eli Lilly's Zepbound, but they have to stop Wednesday. That has left many patients wondering what to do next.
Weight-loss medications tamp down hunger — often dramatically — causing some people to lose the pleasure of communing over food at a festive family meal.
