Sen. Sanders investigates high cost of obesity drugs Ozempic and Wegovy
WCAX
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders this week launched an investigation into the pricing of Ozempic and Wegovy, two drugs that are highly effective at treating diabetes and obesity, but now carry steep price tags. It comes as state officials and lawmakers weigh whether to expand Medicaid coverage that includes their prescription.
The Vermont Department of Health’s Susan Kemp has watched obesity rates in the state rise slowly during her tenure on the job. In 1990, 11% of Vermonters were considered obese. Nearly 35 years later, that number has risen to 27%. And that’s not the only increase in weight gain diseases. “The diabetes rate is 8% of Vermonters,” Kemp said. According to the CDC, that’s double what it was in 2000.
Obesity and Type 2 diabetes can be genetic or brought on by lifestyle choices. For years, experts have tried to find weight loss treatments for the obesity epidemic and diabetes. When Ozempic and Wegovy were put on the market, many people thought it was groundbreaking, including Clara Keegan, a primary care doctor at the UVM Medical Center. “What’s amazing about them is that they change the metabolism in a way we haven’t seen before,” Keegan said.