We’re Solving Obesity. Now Who Pays for It?

<p>This week on On The Pen, the GLP-1 story is moving in two very different directions.</p><p>The Fifth Circuit handed FDA major wins in the fight over semaglutide and tirzepatide shortages, FDA updated its consumer guidance around compounded GLP-1 medications and multi-dose vials, and employers continue questioning whether they can afford obesity-drug coverage.</p><p>At the same time, the medical case for these medications keeps getting stronger.</p><p>We break down Mounjaro’s new cardiovascular indication and what preventing heart attacks and strokes could mean for the <em>true</em> long-term cost of GLP-1 treatment. We also look at 600,000 Medicare beneficiaries already enrolling in the $50 GLP-1 Bridge program, California’s effort to tackle affordability, the rapidly expanding oral GLP-1 market, and new real-world data on patients staying at lower doses of semaglutide and tirzepatide.</p><p>The science is expanding. Access is contracting.</p><p>And that may be the biggest challenge facing the next phase of the GLP-1 revolution.</p><p>In this episode:<br>• What the Fifth Circuit compounding decisions actually mean<br>• FDA’s updated language around compounded GLP-1 vials<br>• The 28-day multi-dose vial controversy<br>• Mounjaro’s new cardiovascular indication<br>• Why GLP-1s may reduce long-term healthcare costs<br>• Employers dropping obesity-drug coverage<br>• 600,000 people joining the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge<br>• California’s push for lower GLP-1 prices<br>• The oral GLP-1 race<br>• New data on lower-dose semaglutide and tirzepatide</p><p>Follow everything On The Pen:<br></p><p>This episode is sponsored by VoaFit.<br>https://www.voafit.com/otp</p><p>This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always discuss medication and treatment decisions with a qualified healthcare professional.</p><p><br></p>