Weight-loss drugs

A series of lawsuits have been filed in Marion County court alleging that drug manufacturer Eli Lilly downplayed the side effects of its obesity and diabetes drugs.

Over 30 state attorneys general including in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio have urged the Federal Food and Drug Administration to take action against "bad actors" selling counterfeit weight loss drugs.

The way Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs that spur weight loss work and interact with birth control may be behind some unexpected pregnancies.

Federal regulators say a new version of the popular diabetes treatment Mounjaro can be sold as a weight-loss drug. The Food and Drug Administration approved Zepbound on Wednesday. The drug has been shown to help dieters lose about a quarter of their body weight, or 60 pounds. It is the latest diabetes drug approved for weight loss, joining Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, a high-dose version of Ozempic. Short supply and high costs have limited access to both medications. The FDA approved the new drug for people considered obese or for those who are overweight and have a weight-related health condition.

The quick rise in popularity of the diabetes drugs used for weight loss over the last two years caught many employers flat footed. Now, employers are scrambling to find solutions to help improve worker health while simultaneously keeping a lid on rising health care spending.

There's already a huge demand for existing weight-loss drugs, so the new medication is highly anticipated. Obesity affects an estimated 650 million adults globally.