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Share on Pinterest In addition to the high price tag associated with drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, several other costs you may not have anticipated can accumulate while youre taking weight loss medications. Phynart Studio/Getty ImagesSemaglutides like Wegovy and Ozempic reduce appetite and aid in weight loss and diabetes management. Walmart CEO John Furners comments about customers buying fewer units of food sent snack shares tumbling.Furner recently walked back comments, saying customers are purchasing more overall.Experts say people taking semaglutides may spend money on medications to manage side effects, new clothing that fits, and fitness equipment. However, doctors say that these potentially unexpected expenses are a drop in the bucket compared to the costs of the medications and access issues patients face.

Medications like semaglutide (sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy), have skyrocketed in popularity due to their ability to help people lose weight.

In fact, research from 2021 suggested that a 2.4 mg dose of semaglutide (Wegovys dosing) could lower body weight when combined with lifestyle changes.

Anti-obesity medications like semaglutide, or Wegovy, fight the bodys physiological anti-starvation mechanisms by targeting the energy regulatory center of the brain, the hypothalamus, and addressing obesity-driven dysregulation in signaling pathways and hormone production, Dr. Katherine H. Saunders, DABOM, an obesity expert, co-founder of Intellihealth and clinical assistant professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. Individuals who take semaglutide generally think about food differently, feel less hungry, feel full faster, and stay full for longer.

And thats how Walmart recently entered the discussion.

In early October, CEO John Furner told Bloomberg that shoppers taking semaglutide are purchasing less units, slightly less calories.

Business Insider noted that shares of Walmart snacks fell amid the news. Furner reportedly walked back statements in discussions with Morgan Stanley analysts, saying people taking the drug are spending more overall on items like medications to relieve side effects and lifestyle and fitness products.

Prescription drugs that aid with weight loss like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro already come with a high price tag (around $1,000 a month without insurance), but people may not realize the cost of taking these medications likely wont end with the price of the drug alone.

For most patients, the benefits of the medication will likely outweigh most of these concerns, but its vital that patients understand the costs that could accumulate during treatment, says Dr. Christopher McGowan, a gastroenterologist, obesity medicine specialist, and the founder of True You Weight Loss. Are customers on weight-loss drugs spending less on food?

Early anecdotal evidence indicates that food companies are concerned or noticing shoppers taking drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic may be spending less on food.

Steve Cahillane, the CEO of Kellanova (Cheez-It, Pringles, and Rice Krispies Treats), said in an interview with Bloomberg that the business is assessing changes weight-loss medications may have on consumer behavior. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Smuckers CEO Mark Smucker made similar comments.

In the spring, the New York Post reported restaurants are changing menus and trimming portion sizes to adapt to customer eating habits amid a rise in semaglutide use, and that drumbeat has only grown louder.

Semaglutide changes appetites. Is it feasible that customers are spending or will spend less on food?

Its plausible.

It adds up that patients would consume less foods and, in that regard, buying less perishable items fits that story, says Dr. Konstantinos Spaniolas, the chief of the Division of Bariatric, Foregut, and Advanced GI Surgery at Stony Brook Medicine and the director of the Stony Brook Bariatric and Metabolic Weight Loss Center.

However, its also nuanced and too early to tell.

Individuals on semaglutide might spend less money on food because they eat less, but there are so many factors involved maybe theyre going out to eat more or eating higher quality or more expensive foods, Saunders says. Are there really hidden costs of Ozempic and Wegovy?

This answer also requires nuance.

First, experts say its important to discuss the benefits of weight-loss drugs.

In addition to weight loss, a 2023-published randomized control trial of 529 participants with obesity and heart failure suggested that those who took a 2.4 mg dose of semaglutide once weekly for 52 weeks had substantial improvements in symptoms and ability to function physically than the placebo group.

Novo Nordisk, which manufactures Ozempic, stopped a study on kidney failure in people with diabetes early because an independent data monitoring board recommended the evidence was strong enough to show it would succeed in helping this population.

However, the side effects and results from the drug may prompt consumers to purchase other items. The cost of managing side effects

Spaniolas says GI discomfort, including bloating and nausea, is a common side effect of patients on semaglutide. Another expert agrees and says additional medications arent the first-line treatment for managing these side effects.

For the vast majority of people, its manageable by lifestyle change, Dr. Angela Fitch, FACP, FOMA, the president of the Obesity Medicine Association and chief medical officer of knownwell, a weight-inclusive healthcare company. If you drink too much alcohol or eat too much for dinner, youll feel worse.

Fitch says fried foods like chicken and French fries can also make patients feel nauseous because they sit in the stomach longer.

For patients needing additional assistance managing side effects, medications may be necessary.

McGowan says he prescribes anti-nausea medications like ondansetron (brand-name for generic Zofran), which can retail for around $141 for a bottle of 20 pills.

Some patients may have severe gastrointestinal symptoms that necessitate emergency room visits, clinic appointments, and the need for IV hydration, McGowan says. Missed work due to side effects may result in financial impact.

ER visits can cost more than $1,000, according to American Family Care.

Fitch says that having an attentive care team that can adjust dosing and give insights on side effects and how to manage them can help prevent these costly ER visits. The cost of lifestyle products associated with weight loss drugs

Research indicates that semaglutide and similar medications are effective in helping patients living with overweight or obesity lose and maintain weight when combined with lifestyle changes.

Providers say these changes include physical activity. This need can come at a cost, too.

They also spend money on fitness equipment and gym memberships because cardio and strength training are critical strategies to preserve muscle mass and maintain weight loss long-term, Saunders says.

Costs of gym memberships vary based on the gym a person joins and the state, but Statista data from 2021 indicates monthly fees can range from $38 in Wyoming to more than $75 in New York.

Fitch says consumers may also purchase equipment for their homes.

The more you are losing weight, the better you feel, and you may buy a treadmill, Peloton, or hand weights, Fitch says. I can see a potential for an increase in those things.

Peloton bikes start at around $1,500, plus a membership fee that starts at $12.99 for the app. Prices on hand weights vary but can cost as low as $7 for a set of one, while larger sets can carry three-figure price tags.

Ultimately, Fitch says these costs are typically perceived as investments in health.

I think the data will be positive on quality and length of life, enjoyment of life, and being active, Fitch says.

For instance, the drugs and increased activity might also reduce costs associated with medical care for heart disease.

A new wardrobe may also be necessary to accommodate weight loss.

Our patients definitely sped money on new clothing as they lose weight, Saunders says. One inch on the waist is roughly equivalent to 8 pounds of lost weight.

But Saunders says patients are excited about the weight loss, and Fitch points out, You buy new clothes every time you gain weight.Accessing weight loss medication may cost you a lot of time too

Experts share that the most significant hidden cost of semaglutide (besides the drugs themselves) is time.

Given the supply shortages, patients frequently tell me they are forced to spend many hours contacting or driving to multiple pharmacies to acquire their medications or risk missing doses, which could jeopardize their progress, McGowan says.

Fitch has also noticed this issue.

To stay on Wegovy is like a full-time job. Fitch says, recalling a recent discussion with a patient whose mother stays home and found the drug for them. Thats not going to happen when you have three jobs and can barely make ends meet. Youre not going to call around to five pharmacies to access Wegovy.

And thats a problem.

These medications are not intended or designed for someone to take the medication to lose 20 or 30 pounds, and then once they lose it, you can stop your medications and move on with life, Spaniolas said. Once you stop them, the weight usually comes back.

Indeed, a trial of almost 2,000 people published in 2022 suggested that people who ceased use of 2.4 mg semaglutide doses had regained two-thirds of the lost weight within one year. The most significant cost: The semaglutide prescription itself

It doesnt help that insurance will not always cover these drugs for weight loss, and more companies are dropping coverage.

A 2003 law bars Medicare from covering weight loss drugs.

Without insurance coverage, the cost of the GLP-1 medications is prohibitive, McGowan says. The average retail price of Wegovy is $1,349. Its essential to keep in mind that that number is monthly every month.

That means a person will spend more than $16,000 annually out-of-pocket on Wegovy, a drug meant for long-term use.

The GLP-1 medications are chronic treatments intended to be used long-term, McGowan says. Therefore, that is not a cost-effective proposition. Tips to help manage the cost of weight loss drugs and related expenses

Not everyone can afford weight-loss drugs, and Saunders says that increased insurance coverage, lower prices, and shoring-up supply chain issues are among the greatest systemic issues that need to change.

Fitch says weight bias also plays a role in the approach to these drugs, including insurance coverage.

Were not asked to prove cost-effectiveness with any other disease, Fitch says. Its not cost-effective to treat cancerbut we dont let people die. But theres so much with obesity. Its a journey. Its a chronic disease, too.

In the interim, Saunders recommends patients:Speak with providers about ways to treat side effects other than medications, including eating habits.Invest in a fitness routine you can sustain, including aerobic and strength training that works for you.Find a care team that supports you. Even if you got lucky and lost weight relatively easily, you will inevitably hit bumps in the road during your weight journey, and youll need your care team to help you get back on track each time, Saunders says.

Spaniolas suggests giving yourself a whole serving of grace about expenses and access.

Youre doing the best you can with what is available to you, Spaniolas says. Takeaway

Food industry and retail executives and weight loss experts agree that its possible that weight loss drugs like Wegovy, Ozempic, and Mounjaro may influence purchasing behaviors.

Customers may spend less on food because of appetite reductions and more on fitness products, new clothes, and managing side effects of the drugs.

However, few people will lament this investment, McGowan says.

Experts say the most significant costs of these medications stem from supply-chain issues that have triggered drug shortages, making accessing them a full-time job. And thats if you can afford them.

Insurances do not always cover these drugs for weight loss, which cost more than $1,000 per month out of pocket, and more are announcing they will drop them.

Experts share this needs to change so people can access these drugs, which can better health outcomes beyond weight loss, including a reduction in heart disease symptoms.

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Israel-Hamas war: ‘Vast amounts of aid needed to stave off catastrophic health crisis in Gaza,’ UN warns

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Israel-Hamas war: 'Vast amounts of aid needed to stave off catastrophic health crisis in Gaza,' UN warns

Israel has agreed to support a “one-week scale-up of aid” in Gaza – but the United Nations has warned more action is needed to “stave off famine and a catastrophic health crisis”.

UN aid chief Tom Fletcher made the remarks as Israel began limited pauses in fighting across three areas of Gaza for 10 hours a day to address the worsening humanitarian situation.

Israel cut off all supplies to Gaza’s population from the start of March. It then reopened aid centres with new restrictions in May, but said the supply had to be controlled to prevent it from being stolen by Hamas militants.

A Palestinian man in Beit Lahia carries aid that entered Gaza through Israel. Pic: Reuters
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A Palestinian man in Beit Lahia carries aid that entered Gaza through Israel. Pic: Reuters

On Saturday, reports referencing US government data said there was no evidence Hamas had stolen aid from UN agencies.

Images of emaciated Palestinian children have led to widespread criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, including by allies who are calling for an end to the war.

Mr Fletcher said one in three people in Gaza “hasn’t eaten for days” and “children are wasting away”.

He added: “We welcome Israel’s decision to support a one-week scale-up of aid, including lifting customs barriers on food, medicine and fuel from Egypt and the reported designation of secure routes for UN humanitarian convoys.

More on Israel-hamas War

“Some movement restrictions appear to have been eased today, with initial reports indicating that over 100 truckloads were collected.

“This is progress, but vast amounts of aid are needed to stave off famine and a catastrophic health crisis. Across the UN agencies and humanitarian community, we are mobilised to save as many lives as we can.”

An aircraft drops humanitarian aid over Gaza on Sunday. Pic: Reuters
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An aircraft drops humanitarian aid over Gaza on Sunday. Pic: Reuters

The Israel Defence Forces said yesterday that it is halting military operations in Muwasi, Deir al Balah and Gaza City daily from 10am to 8pm local time (8am to 6pm UK time) until further notice.

Combat operations have continued outside of this 10-hour window. Health officials in Gaza said Israeli strikes killed at least 41 Palestinians overnight into Sunday morning, including 26 seeking aid.

In a statement, the IDF said it would also establish secure routes to help the UN and aid agencies deliver food and other supplies.

A map showing the three areas of Gaza where military action has been paused
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A map showing the three areas of Gaza where military action has been paused

Israel’s announcement of what it calls a “tactical pause” in fighting comes after it resumed airdrops of aid into Gaza.

While the IDF reiterated claims there is “no starvation” in the territory, it said the airdrops would include “seven pallets of aid containing flour, sugar and canned food to be provided by international organisations”.

Palestinian sources confirmed that aid had begun dropping in northern parts of the territory.

Palestinians carry aid supplies that entered Gaza through Israel, in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, July 27, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Ab
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Palestinians in Beit Lahia carry aid supplies that entered Gaza through Israel. Pic: Reuters

Sabreen Hasson, a Palestinian mother who travelled to an aid point near the Zikim crossing to collect supplies, said: “I came to get flour for my children because they have not tasted flour for more than a week, and thank God, God provided me with a kilo of rice with difficulty.”

But Samira Yahda, who was in Zawaida in central Gaza, said: “We saw the planes, but we didn’t see what they dropped… they said trucks would pass, but we didn’t see the trucks.”

Another Palestinian told the AP news agency that some people feared going out and having a box of aid fall on their children.

Read more:
What does recognising a Palestinian state mean?
Parents of IDF soldier taken hostage fear he’ll be one of last freed
25% of young children ‘now malnourished in Gaza’

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Baby Zainab starved to death in Gaza

Gaza is expected to be a focus during talks Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump in Scotland today.

Downing Street said Sir Keir will raise “what more can be done to secure the ceasefire [in the Middle East] urgently”, during the meeting at the US president’s Turnberry golf course in Ayrshire.

Reports also suggest the prime minister is planning to interrupt the summer recess and recall his cabinet to discuss the crisis on Tuesday.

Talks in Qatar over a ceasefire ended on Thursday after the US and Israel withdrew their negotiating teams.

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Bob Geldof: ‘Israeli authorities are lying’

Mr Trump blamed Hamas for the collapse of negotiations as he left the US for Scotland, saying the militant group “didn’t want to make a deal… they want to die”.

Meanwhile the exiled head of Hamas in Gaza, Khalil al Hayya, has warned ceasefire negotiations with Israel were “meaningless under continued blockade and starvation”.

In a recorded speech, he added: “The immediate and dignified delivery of food and medicine to our people is the only serious and genuine indication of whether continuing the negotiations is worthwhile.”

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Israel intercepts Gaza aid boat

During a meeting with the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen yesterday, Mr Trump emphasised the importance of securing the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants in Gaza.

He said: “They don’t want to give them back, and so Israel is going to have to make a decision.

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Starmer says UK will help drop aid to Gaza

“I know what I’d do, but I don’t think it’s appropriate that I say it. But Israel is going to have to make a decision,” he said.

Mr Trump also repeated claims, without evidence, that Hamas was stealing food coming into Gaza and selling it.

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Samsung Electronics signs $16.5 billion chip-supply contract in boost to foundry business; shares rise

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Samsung Electronics signs .5 billion chip-supply contract in boost to foundry business; shares rise

A Samsung flag flies outside the company office in Seoul, South Korea on February 05, 2024.

Chung Sung-jun | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Samsung Electronics has entered into a $16.5 billion contract for supplying semiconductors to a major company, a regulatory filing by the South Korean company showed Monday.  

The memory chipmaker, which did not name the counterparty, mentioned in its filing that the effective start date of the contract was July 26, 2024 — receipt of orders — and its end date was Dec. 31, 2033.

Samsung declined to comment on details regarding the counterparty.

The company said that details of the deal, including the name of the counterparty, will not be disclosed until the end of 2033, citing a request from the second party “to protect trade secrets,” according to a Google translation of the filing in Korean.

“Since the main contents of the contract have been not been disclosed due to the need to maintain business confidentiality, investors are advised to invest carefully considering the possibility of changes or termination of the contract,” the company said. Its shares were up nearly 3% in early trading.

Local South Korean media outlets have said that American chip firm Qualcomm could potentially place an order for Samsung’s 2 nanometer chips.

While Qualcomm is a possibility, given its potential 2 nanometer project with Samsung, Tesla seems the more probable customer, Ray Wang, research director of semiconductors, supply chain and emerging technology at The Futurum Group, told CNBC

Samsung’s foundry service manufactures chips based on designs provided by other companies. It is the second largest provider of foundry services globally, behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company.

The company said in April that it was aiming for its foundry business to start mass production of its next-generation 2 nanometer and secure major orders for the advanced product. In semiconductor technology, smaller nanometer sizes signify more compact transistor designs, which lead to greater processing power and efficiency.

Samsung, which is set to deliver earnings on Thursday, expects its second-quarter profit to more than halve. An analyst previously told CNBC that the disappointing forecast was due to weak orders for its foundry business and as the company has struggled to capture AI demand for its memory business.

The company has fallen behind competitors SK Hynix and Micron in high-bandwidth memory chips — an advanced type of memory used in AI chipsets.

SK Hynix, the leader in HBM, has become the main supplier of these chips to American AI behemoth Nvidia. While Samsung has reportedly been working to get the latest version of its HBM chips certified by Nvidia, a report from a local outlet suggests these plans have been pushed back to at least September.

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Ichiro shows funny side, joins CC, Wagner in HOF

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Ichiro shows funny side, joins CC, Wagner in HOF

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Ichiro Suzuki became the first Japanese-born player to be enshrined into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, one of five new members of baseball’s hallowed institution.

After enduring the baseball tradition known as a rain delay, the five speeches went off without a hitch as the deluge subsided and the weather became hot and humid. Joining Suzuki were pitchers CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner, and sluggers Dick Allen and Dave Parker, both of whom were enshrined posthumously.

“For the third time, I am a rookie,” Suzuki said, delivering his comments in English despite his long preference for conducting his public appearances in Japanese with the aid of an interpreter.

For the American audience, this provided a rare glimpse into Suzuki’s playful side. Teammates long spoke of his sense of humor behind the closed doors of the clubhouse — something the public rarely saw — but it was on full display Sunday.

When Hall voting was announced, Suzuki fell one vote shy of becoming the second unanimous selection for the Hall. He thanked the writers for their support — with an exception.

“Three-thousand [career] hits or 262 hits in one season are achievements recognized by the writers,” Suzuki said. “Except, oh, one of you.”

After the laughter subsided, Suzuki mentioned the gracious comments he made when balloting results were announced, when he offered to invite the writer who didn’t vote for him home for dinner to learn his reasoning. Turns out, it’s too late.

“The offer to the one writer to have dinner at my home has now … expired!” Suzuki said.

Suzuki’s attention to detail and unmatched work ethic have continued into the present day, more than five years since he played his last big league game. That was central to his message Sunday, at least when he wasn’t landing a joke.

“If you consistently do the little things, there’s no limit to what you can achieve,” Suzuki said. “Look at me. I’m 5-11 and 170 pounds. When I came to America, many people said I was too skinny to compete with bigger major leaguers.”

After becoming one of the biggest stars in Japanese baseball, hitting .353 over nine seasons for the Orix BlueWave, Suzuki exploded on the scene as a 27-year-old rookie for the Seattle Mariners, batting .350 and winning the AL Rookie of the Year and MVP honors.

Chants of “Ichiro!” that once were omnipresent at Mariners games erupted from the crowd sprawled across the grounds of the complex while the all-time single-season hits leader (262 in 2004) posed with his plaque alongside commissioner Rob Manfred and Hall of Fame chairman Jane Forbes Clark.

Despite his late start in MLB, Suzuki finished with 3,089 hits in the majors and 4,367 including his time in Japan. Suzuki listed some of his feats, such as the hit total, and his 10 Gold Gloves.

“Not bad,” he said.

Sabathia’s weekend got off to a mildly rough start when his wife’s car broke down shortly after the family caravan departed for Cooperstown. They arrived in plenty of time though, and Sabathia was greeted warmly by numerous Yankees fans who made the trip.

After breaking in with Cleveland at age 20, Sabathia rocketed to stardom with a 17-5 rookie season. Alas, that came in 2001, the same year that Suzuki landed in the American League.

“Thank you most of all to the great players sitting behind me,” Sabathia said. “I am so proud and humbled to join you as a Hall of Famer, even Ichiro, who stole my Rookie of the Year Award in 2001.”

Sabathia focused the bulk of his comments on the support he has received over the years from his friends and family, especially his wife, Amber.

“The first time we met was at a house party when I was a junior in high school,” Sabathia said. “We spent the whole night talking, and that conversation has been going on for 29 years.”

Parker, 74, died from complications of Parkinson’s disease on June 28, less than a month before the induction ceremony. Representing him at the dais was his son, Dave Parker II, and though the moment was bittersweet, it was hardly somber.

Parker II finished the speech with a moving poem written by his father that, for a few minutes, made it feel as if the player nicknamed “The Cobra” were present.

“Thanks for staying by my side,” Parker’s poem concluded. “I told y’all Cooperstown would be my last rap, so the star of Dave will be in the sky tonight. Watch it glow. But I didn’t lie in my documentary — I told you I wouldn’t show.”

Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 homers, won two Gold Gloves on the strength of his legendary right-field arm and was named NL MVP in 1978. He spent his first 11 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and entered the Hall representing the Bucs.

Wagner, whose 422 career saves ranks eighth on the all-time list, delivered an emotional but humorous speech about a small-town guy with a small-for-a-pitcher 5-foot-10 stature who made it big.

“I feel like my baseball life has come full circle,” Wagner said. “I was a fan before I could play. Back when baseball wasn’t so available on TV, every Saturday morning I watched Johnny Bench and so many of the other greats on a show ‘The Baseball Bunch.'”

In one of the moments of baseball serendipity that only Cooperstown can provide, the telecast flashed to Bench, sitting a few feet away from where Wagner was speaking.

Allen’s widow, Willa, delivered a touching tribute to her late husband, who died in 2020 after years of feeling overlooked for his outstanding career. The 1964 NL Rookie of the Year for the Phillies, Allen won the 1972 AL MVP for the Chicago White Sox.

“Baseball was his first love,” Willa said. “He used to say, ‘I’d have played for nothing,’ and I believe he meant it. But of course, if you compare today’s salary, he played almost for nothing.”

Willa focused on the softer side of a player who in his time was perhaps unfairly characterized for a contentious relationship with the media.

“He was devoted to people, not just fans, but especially his teammates,” Willa said. “If he heard someone was sick or going through a tough time, he’ll turn to me and say, ‘Willa, they have to hear from us.'”

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