The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings to online vendors for selling misbranded weight loss and diabetes drugs, including popular medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound. This crackdown is part of a broader concern over the misuse of such drugs, which have been reported to be used off-label for weight loss. State lawmakers are considering whether insurance should cover these expensive treatments amid reports of their increased use. The FDA's actions also come at a time when state employee health benefits and Medicaid programs are experiencing a surge in costs associated with these drugs, prompting some states to limit coverage to control budget impacts.
State employee health benefits and Medicaid programs have seen a surge in costs from weight-loss and diabetes drugs, forcing some state officials to clamp down amid limited taxpayer dollars. https://t.co/Mn7gULMuKm https://t.co/wyxUBRv1wC
States are clamping down on coverage of weight-loss drugs to keep the pricey treatments from blowing up their budgets. https://t.co/1WtODiVSkI @TreedinDC
Some researchers are also concerned about having to use a government-controlled system to conduct research that may be critical of CMS. Medicare Advantage, for example, has come under increasing scrutiny for rising costs. https://t.co/EfJhE2KWR4
The FDA is cracking down on websites that claim to sell the underlying chemicals of popular diabetes and obesity drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound. https://t.co/4isrHjMGle
FDA cracks down on websites that claim to sell chemicals in obesity drugs Wegovy, Zepbound https://t.co/lHtoE3Jjgy via @elaineywchen for @statnews
Have you been hearing about drugs like Ozempic being used for weight loss? So are state lawmakers who are weighing if insurance should cover these expensive treatments. Great reporting by my @pluribusnews colleagues @squinton_states and @stephanieakin https://t.co/QjJrt17RW5
@US_FDA Warns Online Vendors Selling Misbranded #Weightloss, #Diabetes Drugs https://t.co/Mh9O6HKymW