T he newest weight-loss drugs, Wegovy and Zepbound, are incredibly popular. But doctors are still learning about all of the ways they affect the body—both helpful and harmful—beyond reducing weight. In report published in Nature Medicine,

Some outcomes, like reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and increased chance of nausea, were expected. But others took researchers by surprise.

As demand for weight-loss injections sold under brand names such as Ozempic and Wegovy continues to soar, a study has uncovered neurological and behavioral health benefits amid risks for pancreatitis and kidney disease.

If successful, the result could be lower Medicare Part D prices for drugs used to create a variety of conditions, such as cancer, asthma, type 2 diabetes and weight loss - Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy. Austedo and Austedo XR, used to treat Huntington’s disease.

The skyrocketing popularity of weight-loss drugs like Wegovy, one of a class of drugs called GLP-1s, is fast becoming a state budgetary concern. In deciding whether to cover the medications, policymakers must choose between the long-term benefits of reducing obesity among public employees and their families—which could cut spending on the treatment of chronic diseases—and the short-term costs.

Websites selling compounded versions of popular weight-loss drugs from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to U.S. consumers often do not inform patients of the risks associated with these medicines, according to a research letter published on Friday.

Weight-loss and diabetes drugs reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, an independent study published Monday showed. The big pharma companies Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly look to be the main benefactors of GLP-1 medications turning into a “catch-all pill,

The Biden administration said Medicare will negotiate discounts with drug companies on 15 drugs prescribed to treat cancer, diabetes and asthma.

The findings, based on an analysis of records from 2.5 million VA patients, support much of what scientists already suspected but contain surprises, too.