April 26, 2024 – Earlier than there was Ozempic, Wegovy, or Zepbound, there have been cost-friendly, protected, and efficient weight reduction medication. FDA-approved weight problems treatment like orlistat (model title: Xenical), phentermine/topiramate (Qsymia), and naltrexone/bupropion prolonged launch (Contrave) have been available on the market for many years.
“Some older weight problems drugs go all the way in which again to the ’50s and ’60s – like phentermine, which remains to be one of the crucial broadly prescribed drugs on the earth,” stated Anthony Auriemma, MD, medical director of Ascension Illinois Weight Loss Options.
Whereas newer GLP-1 medication like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) typically result in better levels of weight reduction, the advantages of extra established medication – like decrease prices, ample provide, and ease of entry – additionally makes them precious choices, stated Andres Acosta, MD, an weight problems professional with the Mayo Clinic.
“Many individuals say that the GLP-1s are the primary drugs to offer you weight reduction at double digits,” he stated. “That’s not true. Qsymia was already at double digits, providing you with 11% [of total body weight loss] on the medium dose and 13% on the excessive dose.”
And two cost-friendly and efficient medication provide decrease levels of weight reduction: Contrave (round 9%) and Xenical (5% to six%).
Some sufferers can get drugmaker coupons for Qsymia and Contrave for as little as $100 monthly, and generic phentermine as little as $20 monthly, Auriemma stated. You could find Xenical for $200 to $300 monthly. Examine these prices to GLP-1s, like Ozempic, the place you might be shelling out a minimal of $500, all the way in which as much as hundreds of {dollars}, monthly.
An impartial evaluation by the Institute for Medical and Financial Overview discovered that Qsymia is essentially the most cost-effective treatment amongst semaglutide and different weight problems medication that got here earlier than it. Qsymia’s “twin mechanism” suppresses your urge for food within the morning, and the extended-release operate can hold you satiated into the afternoon – which implies much less snacking and extra energy, in accordance with John Amos, CEO of VIVUS, the drug firm behind Qsymia.
One other key distinction between older weight problems medication and newer GLP-1s is that the previous are taken orally, and also you get the latter as photographs.
“The very nice factor about older drugs like phentermine, Contrave, or Qsymia is that almost all of them keep away from lots of the gastrointestinal unwanted side effects that you simply hear about with GLP-1 medication, the place folks typically have issues about nausea, vomiting, and a few speak about gastroparesis, or abdomen paralysis,” stated Auriemma.
Have in mind: Some sufferers could must take weight problems drugs for longer intervals of time, which makes in search of a cost-friendly drug much more vital. It’s also essential to keep in mind that weight problems drugs shouldn’t be “one-size-fits-all,” as a result of our our bodies don’t have the identical reactions to drugs, nor will we all have comparable consuming habits and life. So present fads or waves of recognition shouldn’t be the decision-maker when contemplating a medicine. Converse to your physician about which, if any, weight problems drug may very well be best for you, Auriemma stated.
“For those who can not afford GLP-1s, your insurance coverage doesn’t wish to cowl them, otherwise you don’t have entry, there are different choices which can be already FDA-approved,” stated Acosta. “Once we try this map between price and final result, that’s when these different drugs, significantly phentermine/topiramate, grow to be essentially the most price efficient.”