Weight Loss Drugs Helped Drive 13.6% Increase In Prescription Drug Costs

Overall U.S. health care spending on drugs;increased;13.6% since 2022 to total $722.5 billion, according to a recent study. This increase occurred largely because of weight loss medications, including semaglutide (antidiabetic medication used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and an anti-obesity medication used for long-term weight management in brands like Ozempic and Wegovy). For semaglutide, spending in 2023 doubled to $38.6 billion. Spending for the diabetes drug tizepatide (branded as Mounjaro for diabetes and as Zepbound for obesity) grew 373% even though its approval for weight loss came late . . .