Taxpayer-Funded Weight-Loss Drugs Face Scrutiny Over High Prices

Americans pay significantly more for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs despite billions in public funding for their development.

The U.S. government spent $6.2 billion on research and development for GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, but Americans now pay up to 11 times more for these drugs than patients in other countries.
Novo Nordisk has launched a platform offering uninsured patients access to Wegovy at $499 per month, a price still far higher than compounded alternatives and international rates.
Medicare spent $5.7 billion on GLP-1 drugs in 2022 alone, with rising costs threatening to increase premiums and strain the U.S. healthcare system.
Critics argue that the high cost of these drugs limits access for patients who need them most, despite their proven benefits in treating obesity and diabetes.
Legislation to reinstate fair pricing requirements for taxpayer-funded drugs has repeatedly failed, fueling debate over pharmaceutical companies' pricing practices.