Using GLP-1 drug injections for weight loss has become one of the latest ways some celebrities on the market are shedding excess pounds. murmured Learn how Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy has helped me lose weight. Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin recently told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that using another version of Novo Nordisk’s same drug, Ozempic, most commonly associated with treating diabetes, made him feel much less hungry. rice field.
“The weekly shots are great….I started doing this about a year ago.It’s changed my life,” Rubin said.
Social media influencer Remi Bader said she was prescribed Ozempic after experiencing insulin and weight gain issues.
GLP-1, short for glucagon-like peptide-1, is a receptor agonist that mimics the effects of the GLP-1 hormone, activating the GLP-1 receptor in the pancreas and producing more insulin in the body. Insulin helps lower blood sugar levels and helps manage type 2 diabetes. GLP-1 has also been shown to help with weight loss by making you feel fuller for a longer period of time.
According to Zachariah Reitano, co-founder and CEO of telehealth company Ro, it’s not just GLP-1 drugs that are helping celebrities and the wealthy get quality clinical and obesity treatments to lose weight. It means that it is useful for As such, his company has initiated a program to provide his GLP-1 drug and corresponding medical care to individuals suffering from obesity and weight loss problems.
In a recent interview with CNBC, Reitano said, “What we can do today is leverage all the technology necessary to give everyone access to what few people today have access to. I think.
The Ro’s Body Program offers personalized treatments for GLP-1 and weight management. The one-year program uses a combination of GLP-1 and personal coaching. In clinical trials, these drugs helped a participant lose an average of 15% of her weight over the course of a year.
Combining GLP-1 with personalized coaching is key to effective weight loss therapy, helping patients maximize their results, Reitano said.
“I think what’s really important, yes, it’s access to medicine…but once they have the medicine, we want to hold their hand through the whole process and it’s a big deal. We’ve built technology that can be done at scale,” said Reitano.
In the Ro Body program, participants are initially diagnosed and enter information about their health history, weight loss and obesity challenges, lifestyle and diet. You will then be sent an A1C blood sugar test, an at-home lab test to get your cholesterol readings. Kidney function, among other health indicators. Based on the test results and initial consultation, the doctor may prescribe the patient to start with her GLP-1 at a low dose and increase slowly over time until the desired dose is reached.
Diabetes, Obesity, National Drug Controversy
Ozempic – a brand of semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist marketed as a treatment for type 2 diabetes – recently made headlines for its nationwide shortage as its use as a weight-loss drug gained popularity. . When his Wegovy, a branded semaglutide marketed for weight management, started to run out, some people using this drug were prescribed his off-brand Ozempic, so finding this drug has become much more difficult. Many of his type 2 diabetics who depended on Ozempic for treatment are left in a rush to find a cure. There are also reports that due to the difficulty of finding GLP-1 drugs, people looking for weight loss help are turning to other multiple drug solutions.
Both obesity and type 2 diabetes affect large numbers of Americans. According to the CDC, her 41.9% U.S. adult obesity rate in 2017 and about 1 in 10 Americans has her type 2 diabetes. Reitano said it is important to recognize both obesity and diabetes as diseases that deserve appropriate treatment.
“I think what we’ll really see in the next five to 10 years is a weight-centric approach to metabolic health,” said Reitano. It was a factor that motivated the decision. “I’ve seen GLP make a huge impact on my father,” he said.
He told CNBC’s Jim Cramer that weekly injections do three “very important things” when it comes to obesity. Helps regulate appetite. It also slows the passage of food from the stomach to the small intestine. This control combination helped the patient lose an average of 15% of her weight over the course of a year in a clinical study.
Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy, told NBC News last week that although access to some of Ozempic’s dosages for people with type 2 diabetes has improved, the company still has supply chain issues. , said the problem had been going on for a month.
The GLP-1 drug Wegovy for weight problems or obesity is approved for individuals with a BMI of 26 plus and comorbidities, or a BMI of 30 plus.
A new real-time approach to weight management
Reitano said it shouldn’t be either or both scenarios involving weight loss diabetes management, and that will change over the next decade.
“If we look at obesity as a disease and we focus on preventing it, but if it happens, we treat it, and we treat it as a disease. I think you’ll see a completely different approach.
Reitano said the weight loss and obesity management program is part of his company’s broader goal of changing the way patients receive care and achieve their health goals, from doctor visits to pharmacies to managing ongoing health issues. Said it fits.
“Quality obesity care is an important part of that,” he told Cramer.
In addition to delivering GLP-1 drugs to patients’ homes, the Ro Body program uses remote monitoring to track patients in real time. This is facilitated by a cellular-connected smart scale that tracks weight and also sends data to the patient who sends the data to the app. This allows medical professionals to fine-tune drug dosages to ensure patients are taking the right dose to achieve weight loss results. I want. The patient will also have access to her one-on-one coaching with a nurse and up to 24 teleconsults with a doctor over the course of a year.
“The speed with which we are able to communicate with our patients, update their plans, be physically there and guide them through this experience, and how it’s serving as a really powerful tribute to their primary care as a whole. is one of the things we’re thinking about…we’re really excited about,” Reitano said in a recent phone interview with CNBC.
However, the price of these drugs is a problem, with Wegovy costing as much as $1,700 a month without insurance. Reitano said Ro helps individuals work through insurance and get these drugs at the lowest prices, but said in an interview with Mad Money that pricing in this drug niche is “difficult for patients.” There are cases,” he admitted.
The Ro Body Program is the latest addition to Ro’s range of healthcare products. The company, which was ranked No. 38 on the CNBC Disruptors 50 list for 2022, began selling men’s health care products to help treat problems like erectile dysfunction and hair loss, and has since launched multiple home care products, including medications and medicines. expanded to provide services. infertility treatment.
CNBC is now accepting nominations for its 2023 Disruptors 50 list. Learn more about eligibility and how to submit your application by Friday, February 17th.
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