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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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Trump achieves something remarkable, but will his ‘goldfish’ attention span stay the course?

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Trump achieves something remarkable, but will his 'goldfish' attention span stay the course?

Two things can be true at the same time – an adage so apt for the past day. 

This was the Trump show. There’s no question about that. It was a show called by him, pulled off for him, attended by leaders who had no other choice and all because he craves the ego boost.

Gaza deal signed – as it happened

But the day was also an unquestionable and game-changing geopolitical achievement.

World leaders, including Trump and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, pose for a family photo. Pic: Reuters
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World leaders, including Trump and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, pose for a family photo. Pic: Reuters

Trump stopped the war, he stopped the killing, he forced Hamas to release all the hostages, he demanded Israel to free prisoners held without any judicial process, he enabled aid to be delivered to Gaza, and he committed everyone to a roadmap, of sorts, ahead.

He did all that and more.

He also made the Israel-Palestine conflict, which the world has ignored for decades, a cause that European and Middle Eastern nations are now committed to invest in. No one, it seems, can ignore Trump.

Love him or loathe him, those are remarkable achievements.

‘Focus of a goldfish’

The key question now is – will he stay the course?

One person central to the negotiations which have led us to this point said to me last week that Trump has the “focus of a goldfish”.

Benjamin Netanyahu applauds while Trump addresses the Knesset, Israel's parliament. Pic: Reuters
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Benjamin Netanyahu applauds while Trump addresses the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Pic: Reuters

It’s true that he tends to have a short attention span. If things are not going his way, and it looks likely that he won’t turn out to be the winner, he quickly moves on and blames someone else.

So, is there a danger of that with this? Let’s check in on it all six months from now (I am willing to be proved wrong – the Trump-show is truly hard to chart), but my judgement right now is that he will stay the course with this one for several reasons.

First, precisely because of the show he has created around this. Surely, he won’t want it all to fall apart now?

He has invested so much personal reputation in all this, I’d argue that even he wouldn’t want to drop it, even when the going gets tough – which it will.

Second, the Abraham Accords. They represented his signature foreign policy achievement in his first term – the normalisation of relations between Israel and the Muslim world.

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How a huge day for the Middle East unfolded

Back in his first presidency, he tried to push the accords through without solving the Palestinian question. It didn’t work.

This time, he’s grasped the nettle. Now he wants to bring it all together in a grand bargain. He’s doing it for peace but also, of course, for the business opportunities – to help “make America great again”.

Peace – and prosperity – in the Middle East is good for America. It’s also good for Trump Inc. He and his family are going to get even richer from a prosperous Middle East.

Read more:
Trump hails ‘peace in the Middle East’
His team ripped up golden rule to pull off peace plan

Then there is the Nobel Peace Prize. He didn’t win it this year. He was never going to – nominations had to be in by January.

But next year he really could win – especially if he solves the Ukraine challenge too.

If he could bring his coexistence and unity vibe to his own country – rather than stoking the division – he may stand an even greater chance of winning.

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Freed Palestinian prisoner alleges torture and deaths in Israeli detention

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Freed Palestinian prisoner alleges torture and deaths in Israeli detention

A freed Palestinian prisoner, one of about 1,700 detainees from Gaza who had been held by Israel without charge, has described scenes of systematic torture, humiliation and death inside Israeli detention.

Akram al Basyouni, 45, from northern Gaza, says he was detained on 10 December 2023 at a shelter school in Jabalia and spent nearly two years in custody, including at the Sde Teiman military base.

“Many of our fellow prisoners were beaten to the point of death,” he told Sky News. “When we cried out to the guards for help, they would answer coldly, ‘Let him die’. Five minutes later they would take the body away, wrap it in a bag, and shut the door.”

Al Basyouni said detainees were routinely tortured, beaten with batons and fists, attacked by dogs and gassed during what guards called a “reception ceremony”.

“They beat us so savagely our ribs were shattered. They poured boiling water over the faces and backs of young men until their skin peeled away. We sat on cold metal floors for days, punished even for asking for help.”

Sky News has contacted the Israel Prison Service (IPS) and the Israel Defense Forces for comment but has not yet received a response.

Al Basyouni claimed prisoners were forced to remain on their knees for long hours, deprived of clothing and blankets, and subjected to religious and psychological abuse.

More on Gaza

“They cursed the Prophet, tore up the Koran in front of us, and insulted our mothers and sisters in the foulest language,” he said. “They told us our families were dead. ‘There is no Gaza,’ they said. ‘We killed your children.'”

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Palestinian prisoners released

Palestinians freed from Israeli prisons in past exchanges have reported frequent beatings, insufficient food and deprivation of medical care.

A 2024 UN report said that since 7 October 2023, thousands of Palestinians have been held arbitrarily and incommunicado by Israel, often shackled, subject to torture and deprived of food, water, sleep and medical care.

Israel has maintained that it follows international and domestic legal standards for the treatment of prisoners and that any prison personnel violations are investigated.

Its National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the country’s prisons, has on multiple occasions boasted about making conditions for Palestinians as harsh as possible while remaining within the law.

Al Basyouni claimed many detainees, including doctors, died from beatings or medical neglect.

“I heard about Dr Adnan al-Bursh, may God have mercy on him,” he said. “He was struck in the chest by a prison guard, over his heart. He lost consciousness immediately and died five minutes later.”

Read more from Sky News:
Trump warned his plan for Gaza ‘doesn’t make sense’
Hamas official says Blair isn’t welcome in Gaza role

Sky News’ own investigation found that Dr al-Bursh, one of Gaza’s most respected surgeons, died after being tortured in Israeli custody, sustaining broken ribs and severe injuries while being held at Ofer Prison.

Al Basyouni said he also met Dr Hossam Abu Safiya at Ofer and heard that Dr Akram Abu Ouda had been “subjected to severe and repeated torture.”

“Even the doctors were beaten and denied treatment,” he said. “Many reached the brink of death.”

In response to our investigation into Dr al-Bursh’s death, a spokesman for the Israel Prison Service said at the time: “We are not aware of the claims you described and as far as we know, no such events have occurred under IPS responsibility.”

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French PM Sebastien Lecornu shelves Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform in bid for political survival

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French PM Sebastien Lecornu shelves Emmanuel Macron's pension reform in bid for political survival

France’s reappointed prime minister has offered to suspend controversial reforms to the country’s pension system, days after returning to the top role.

Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform, which gradually raises the age at which a worker can retire on a full pension from 62 to 64, was forced through without a vote in parliament after weeks of street protests in 2023.

Sebastien Lecornu said on Tuesday he would postpone the introduction of the scheme, one of Mr Macron’s main economic policies, until after the 2027 presidential election.

With two no-confidence votes in parliament this week, Mr Lecornu had little choice but to make the offer to secure the support of left-wing MPs who demanded it as the price of their support for his survival.

Mr Lecornu in parliament on Tuesday. Pic: Reuters
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Mr Lecornu in parliament on Tuesday. Pic: Reuters

The prime minister will hope it is enough to get a slimmed-down 2026 budget passed at a time when France’s public finances are in a mess.

It will be seen as a blow to Mr Macron, leaving him with little in the way of domestic achievements after eight years in office. But it reflects the reality that giving ground on the landmark measure was the only way to ensure the survival of his sixth prime minister in under two years.

Mr Lecornu told MPs he will “suspend the 2023 pension reform until the presidential election”.

“No increase in the retirement age will take place from now until January 2028,” he added.

Read more:
Police use tear gas on Belgian protesters
Migrant who threatened to kill Farage jailed

The move will cost the Treasury €400m (£349m) in 2026, and €1.8bn (£1.5bn) the year after, he said, warning it couldn’t just be added to the deficit and “must therefore be financially offset, including through savings measures”.

Mr Lecornu, 39, was reappointed as prime minister by Mr Macron on Friday, four days after he resigned from the role just hours after naming his cabinet – and after political rivals threatened to topple his government.

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French PM returns to role days after quitting

On re-taking office, he pledged to “put an end to this political crisis, which is exasperating the French people, and to this instability, which is bad for France’s image and its interests”.

Economists in Europe have previously warned that France – the EU’s second-largest economy – faces a Greek-style debt crisis, with its deficit at 5.4%.

Mr Lecornu is hoping to bring that down to 4.7% with an overall package of cuts totalling €30bn (£26bn), but his plans were dismissed as wishful thinking by France’s independent fiscal watchdog.

Mr Macron has burned through five prime ministers in less than two years, but has so far refused to call another election or resign.

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