Doctors call Wegovy’s new weight loss pill a game changer in the fight against obesity, but some experts are urging patients to be cautious.
Just weeks after hitting the market, nearly 200,000 people are already taking the Wegovy pill, according to the company.
While the pill offers convenience — and a lower price point than injectable semaglutides — its rapid rise in popularity has some doctors urging caution.
“The efficacy is about the same. It’s about 15% weight loss over a year,” said Dr. Nidhi Kansal, an Internal Medicine & Obesity Medicine specialist with Northwestern.
It’s also more affordable, explains Dr Kansal. Without insurance, the Wegovy pill starts at about $150 a month depending on the dose, which is less than the once-weekly injections the company also offers.
“Hopefully with insurance, it’s $25 a month,” said Kansal.
While the medication has changed form, Kansal it’s still intended only for people who meet specific health criteria for weight loss treatment.
“Body mass index over 30, or body mass index over 27, plus a weight-related health issue. That would be something like pre-diabetes, hypertension, fatty liver, just to name a few,” said Kansal.
Open almost any social media app and you’re likely to encounter ads from companies like Willow Health promoting compounded versions of GLP‑1 medications. In one widely circulated ad, a woman claims she “always thought you had to be obese to start a GLP‑1 — but then I found Willow.” Another video goes further, suggesting that “if you’re looking to lose some weight, even just a few pounds,” Willow’s GLP‑1 product is an easy solution.
These ads promise quick results and effortless weight loss, but obesity medicine specialists warn that the shortcuts being promoted online can lead consumers down a dangerous path.
“You can lower your blood sugar. And if you don’t have pre-diabetes, diabetes, that can sometimes be dangerous. Losing the weight fast is not always ideal for your metabolism or your brain chemistry and then if you try to go off the drug …most studies have shown rapid weight regain. So it’s really not meant to be a short term drug,” said Kansal.
Willow health has come under heavy fire from the Better Business Bureau’s National Advertising Division and Novo Nordisk – the maker of Ozempic and the Wegovy pill- over unproven claims about its compounded semaglutide products, and has been reported to federal regulators — including the FDA— for possible action.
It’s an area the FDA is already looking into. Earlier this month, the agency ramped up its crackdown on companies like Him’s and Her’s selling weight‑loss drugs that are not FDA-approved, warning telehealth firms that they are strictly barred from claiming their compounded versions share the same active ingredients as FDA‑approved drugs or that they’re clinically proven to work.
Kansal says the danger isn’t just in the marketing — it’s in the misconception behind it.
“Losing weight does not directly imply good health,” said Kansal. “I’ve seen patients lose weight, and unfortunately, they lose too much muscle in addition to their fat. And their blood sugars actually go up. Their blood pressure is not better. They feel weaker. They can’t exercise as much.”
All weight loss medication, she says, should come with a life-long commitment.
“For people that are taking it appropriately, you should be on it forever,” said Kansal.
We reached out to Willow health and Hims & Hers, but neither company provided comment.The FDA has sent out dozens warning letters to telehealth companies and online pharmacies over misleading marketing about the effectiveness of their compounded weight loss medications since last fall. The FDA warns seizures, injunctions or other legal action could be next.
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