An April 24 letter from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders to the CEO of Novo Nordisk began with heartfelt thanks to the Danish drugmaker for inventing Ozempic and Wegovy, two medications poised to improve the health of tens of millions of Americans with obesity and related diseases. But the senator's grateful tone faded rapidly. 'As important as these drugs are, they will not do any good for the millions of patients who cannot afford them,' Sanders wrote.
The drugs can be added to formularies if prescribed for another 'medically accepted indication,' such as to treat type 2 diabetes or reduce heart risk, but patients can't get it if their only medical issue is obesity. Rep. Brad Wenstrup has introduced a bill that would reverse that 2003 ban.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more: