Overview

• Novo Nordisk has launched NovoCare, a pharmacy service offering Wegovy for $499 per month to uninsured patients or those without obesity medication coverage.
• The price reduction comes after the FDA declared an end to the semaglutide shortage, which had enabled compounding pharmacies to produce cheaper alternatives.
• Novo Nordisk's initiative seeks to regain market share from compounded weight-loss drugs, which are often less expensive but lack FDA approval.
• Competitor Eli Lilly has implemented a similar discount program for its GLP-1 drug Zepbound, with prices starting at $349 per month for uninsured patients.
• Critics argue that while the reduced price improves accessibility, it remains significantly higher than production costs and prices in other countries.