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,

The media queen also confessed that she was reluctant to take a GLP-1 drug because she felt it was “the easy way out.” That changed after a special on weight loss with experts and clinicians that she taped in July 2023. The panel discussion left her with her “biggest aha moment” about the medication.

GLP-1 medications linked to a lower risk of dementia and addiction but higher risk of kidney, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal issues. Demand for weight-loss medications, including popular brands like Ozempic and Wegovy,

Federal officials are targeting the blockbuster drugs as part of their ongoing initiative to lower drug costs.

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.

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