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Controversy surrounding diabetes drug, Ozempic, being used for weight loss
The diabetes drug, Ozempic, has been in the headlines, causing quite a stir. Senior writer for Drugwatch.com, Terry Turner, joined LiveNow to discuss how some people are ending up in the hospital, for misusing Ozempic as a weight loss drug.
A shipping giant in the U.S. announced it will be helping provide accessibility to a popular drug that treats type 2 diabetes and can help manage weight loss.
Amazon will begin stocking Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic pills at its kiosks and offer same-day delivery.
Amazon pharmacy
FILE - Ozempic is medicine for adults with type 2 diabetes that along with diet and exercise may improve blood sugar. (Photo by Steve Christo - Corbis/ Corbis via Getty Images)
Big picture view:
Amazon Pharmacy is a full-service digital pharmacy that delivers medications directly to homes via mail.
What’s new:
Amazon’s pharmacy will keep stock of the Ozempic pill, meaning those with a prescription can get same-day delivery or pickup within minutes through in-office kiosk locations.
Dig deeper:
Regardless of Prime membership, those with a prescription can see real-time availability in their area and pricing info.
RELATED: New GLP-1 drugs could suppress desire for more than just food, study suggests
By the numbers:
With insurance, pricing starts as low as $25 per month. For cash-pay customers, pricing begins at $149 per month with manufacturer-sponsored savings offers applied automatically before checkout.
The pharmacy already offers the Wegovy and Foundayo oral GLP-1 pills with the same price structure.
What they're saying:
Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar told FOX Business that more than 1 million patients have tried the Wegovy pill since its January launch with Amazon. Novo Nordisk is behind both Wegovy and Ozempic.
"It’s an exciting time, I would say, for the patients that can get access to these products when they want it and as fast as possible," he said.
For context:
Ozempic is prescribed for patients with Type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy is used to treat obesity. Both treatments were originally made as weekly injectables, but the newer oral versions are a once-daily pill.
Amazon does not stock the injectables in kiosks because they need to be refrigerated, Reuters reported.
RELATED: Trump says GLP-1 weight-loss drugs coming at $50 for Medicare patients
What are GLP-1 weight loss drugs?
Big picture view:
GLP-1 medications mainly help manage blood sugar (glucose) levels in people with Type 2 diabetes, and, in some cases, can also help treat obesity.
In short, the drugs trigger insulin release, reduce glucose production in your liver and make you feel full, according to GoodRx.
The drugs have reshaped the treatment of diabetes and obesity, and more Americans than ever are turning to the drugs to lose weight and boost health.
By the numbers:
About 1 in 8 U.S. adults said they were taking a GLP-1 drug, according to a survey conducted last fall by the health research group KFF.
Recently:
President Donald Trump announced another move to make the drugs more accessible to millions of Americans.
He said GLP-1 weight loss drugs would soon be available for Medicare patients for $50 a month.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from a May 7, 2026, Amazon News press release, Reuters reporting and from remarks given by Novo Nordisk’s CEO to FOX Business. Background information was taken from previous FOX Television Station reporting. This story was reported from Detroit.