Drugmakers have developed pill versions of GLP-1 medicines to treat obesity.
David J. Phillip/AP
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David J. Phillip/AP
You may have heard of Ozempic, and other GLP-1 drugs. They’re everywhere. But weekly injections, cost, and insurance complications mean they’re not for everyone.
That’s why there’s a lot of excitement around two new pill forms of the drug.
The first is a Wegovy pill that’s expected to win FDA approval by the end of the year. Plus another kind of obesity pill that could be right behind it.
The human body naturally makes a hormone called GLP-1, or Glucagon-Like Peptide-1. It helps signal fullness and stimulate insulin secretion in the body. GLP-1 drugs do something similar – but they stick around in the body for longer.
Check out more of NPR’s coverage about GLP-1s.
Interested in more health stories? Email us your question at [email protected].
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This episode was produced by Rachel Carlson. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineer was Kwesi Lee.
