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A new business story reports that prescriptions for two popular weight-loss medicines — semaglutide (the active drug in brand names like Ozempic and Wegovy) and tirzepatide (brand name Zepbound for weight loss) — are expected to keep growing into 2025. The piece is about a trend in how often doctors are prescribing these drugs and how demand is rising, not a single clinical trial or new safety finding. Semaglutide and tirzepatide are man-made versions of substances that the body already uses to help control appetite and blood sugar. Semaglutide mimics a gut hormone that tells your brain you’re full and slows how fast your stomach empties. Tirzepatide acts like two gut hormones at once, so it both cuts appetite and helps regulate blood sugar. Both are given by injection and were developed to treat diabetes first; higher-dose versions are approved specifically for weight loss. The news story is about prescription numbers and market demand rather than a new experiment. It says more patients and doctors are choosing these drugs, so sales and prescriptions are projected to rise through 2025. That’s based on industry and prescribing data, not on a new clinical study showing better results. In clinical trials done previously, many people on these drugs lost significant weight compared with a sugar pill, but the degree of effect varies by dose and by the person, and real-world use can differ from trials. This matters because wider use means more people could access effective medical options for obesity and related conditions like type 2 diabetes. If prescriptions keep growing, more clinics will offer the drugs and insurers may reconsider coverage decisions. It also affects availability: increased demand can change how easy it is to get an appointment or starter supplies. People who have struggled to lose weight and have medical reasons to treat obesity are the most likely to be interested. There are important caveats and risks. These medicines can cause side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and stomach pain, and some people can have more serious problems like gallbladder issues or rare pancreatitis. They require a prescription and medical supervision. Cost and insurance coverage vary a lot; some insurers still limit access. Long-term effects beyond the length of current studies are not fully known, and stopping the drugs often leads to some weight regain. Also, this article covers prescription trends, not proof that the drugs are safer or more effective than previously shown. Bottom line: prescriptions for semaglutide and tirzepatide are rising and expected to keep rising into 2025, which could expand access but also brings questions about cost, availability, and long-term safety.
Source: BusinessWorld Online