![]() But Baig and her co-authors also warned that the net prices for the new drugs can be more than 20 times higher than the net prices for the older ones and that lifetime use might be necessary to prevent weight regain. ![]() In clinical trials, this new wave of drugs has resulted in weight loss ranging from 15% to more than 20% of a person’s prior weight, “representing a clear advance from previous-generation medications (e.g., phentermine–topiramate, bupropion–naltrexone, and liraglutide),” according to Khrysta Baig, M.S.P.H., of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and other co-authors of an opinion piece published recently in The New England Journal of Medicine. The FDA has recently approved several new medications for obesity, including Wegovy (semaglutide), while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and CagriSema (semaglutide–cagrilintide) are under review for this indication (as a weight-loss drug, Mounjaro may be marketed under a different name). “As the data continues to demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of these products, we expect the demand will only continue to grow.” The ineffectiveness and side effects of previous generations of medications likely led many states to exclude obesity medications from coverage “as a precautionary measure to safeguard consumers,” Maiorini says, but “now, some state Medicaid plans have started to cover these new products, with prior authorization.” “There is a significant unmet need for an effective pharmaceutical option for obesity,” says Andrew Maiorini, Pharm.D., vice president of clinical programs at PerformRx, a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) in Philadelphia that is part of AmeriHealth Caritas. For obese adults, annual medical costs were $1,861 higher that year than for their healthy counterparts. In 2019, the estimated annual medical cost of obesity was nearly $173 billion. It has been linked to heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, which are among the leading causes of preventable and premature death. ![]() adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports. The drugs present a problem for managed care executives:Should we roll out the welcome mat for these medications, potentially saving on medical costs over the long haul? Or should we clamp down to control what could be a huge short-term expense? As obesity levels rise to all-time highs in the United States and around the world, a new crop of blockbuster drugs are poised to become game changers for millions of adults who may develop myriad health problems associated with an overabundance of pounds. ![]()
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