Hartford Healthcare doctor weighs in on Wegovy pill form
Doctors say for some people the pill may cause more intense side effects and slightly less weight loss than the injectable version.
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Bariatric Medicine Doctor Joseph St Pierre with Hartford Healthcare in Shelton says this Wegovy once a day pill could be a game changer, especially for people who aren't crazy about injections.
St. Pierre says the daily pill has the same active ingredient as the once a week injection.
However, doctors say for some people the pill may cause more intense side effects and slightly less weight loss than the injectable version. In some cases the drug adherence is challenging with the oral dose.
St Pierre says its not clear yet how much insurance will cover but the pill is cheaper.
"At retail its $50 cheaper a month than the once-a-week injection. So, when you're talking about things being cheaper, it tends to kind of take over and win. So, then you have to weigh that against the convenience of once-a-week injection versus a daily pill," said St Pierre.
St Pierre says the national obesity rate is 42% and he thinks these weight loss drugs will go down in history as huge public health successes equivalent to antibiotics and vaccines.
St. Pierre says one of his patients has lost almost 50% total body weight.
