New Wegovy weight loss pill more affordable, accessible for patients, Long Island doctors say

The advent of a Wegovy pill on the market at more affordable prices could improve access to weight loss drugs for patients across the country, including on Long Island, experts said. 

Drugmaker Novo Nordisk announced Monday that the medication would be available as a pill with a prescription at drugstores like CVS and Costco, and through some telehealth companies such as Ro, LifeMD and Weight Watchers, NovoCare Pharmacy and GoodRx.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the pill form of the weight management medication in late December, allowing the drug — also available as an injection — to hit shelves just weeks later. The drug falls into a class of medication called GLP-1s that help regulate blood sugar and reduce appetite. 

The medicines, originally used to treat diabetes, have been embraced by the American public in recent years as a treatment to promote weight loss despite some concerns over affordability and side effects. 

The availability of Wegovy in pill form will improve access to obesity medication for many patients, said Dr. Konstantinos Spaniolas, chief of the division of bariatric, foregut and advanced GI surgery at Stony Brook Medicine, and director of the Stony Brook Bariatric and Metabolic Weight Loss Center.

"Obesity is a disease that spans a huge percentage of the population and having more options is quite welcomed, both for patients, also because more options will mean ultimately the cost of care and pricing will go down," he said.

The number of Americans taking GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss has more than doubled recently, with Gallup in October finding that 12.4% of adults reported taking the medication, compared with 5.8% in February 2024.

Spending on GLP-1s has also grown exponentially in recent years, rising by more than 500% between 2018 and 2023, according to a study published by Jama Network Open in April. 

The pharmaceutical industry has been scrambling to meet demand, investing in increased production as analysts predict the global market for weight-loss medications could hit $150 billion by 2035, according to Morgan Stanley.

Wegovy pill more affordable for some

The Wegovy pill is available starting at $149 for a month's supply of a 1.5 mg dose, a more affordable option for patients paying out of pocket for a drug that historically could cost over $1,000 per month, Newsday has reported. 

The pill should be used alongside dietary changes and exercise, and at a doctor’s discretion, said Dr. Michael Kaplan, chief medical officer and founder at Long Island Weight Loss Institute, which has locations in Port Jefferson Station, Smithtown, East Meadow and Amityville.

Making the medication available at a lower price point and offering an alternative to injections increases accessibility for patients, he said.

“We’ve had many patients over the years who maybe have a husband or roommate or somebody else give them the injection because they don’t like the idea of injecting themselves. So I think for that population, the pills are going to be amazing,” he said.

“The only downside is they have to remember to take a pill every morning on an empty stomach,” he added, whereas patients using an injection need the shot once a week. 

He highlighted the importance of working with a medical professional to maintain a healthy weight while using weight loss drugs.

The 4 mg Wegovy pill will be available for $149 per month and will cost $199 for a month's supply after April, according to a news release from Novo Nordisk. The highest dose will be available for $299 per month.

For patients covered by insurance, the pills could cost even less and as low as $25 per month, the company said.

Novo Nordisk spokeswoman Jamie Bennett in an email declined to speculate on projected demand for the pill but said the company has "ensured that we have a strong reliable supply" and has invested billions into production capacity. 

"We’re bringing Wegovy pill to patients nationwide through multiple channels designed to fit into their lives and meet them where they seek care," Dave Moore, executive vice president of US Operations at Novo Nordisk Inc., said in a statement.

Another semaglutide, Rybelsus, is available in pill form but only officially for diabetes, although some doctors use it off-label for weight loss, Spaniolas said. 

Oral medications for weight loss medication may be less effective than injections, he said. 

Tamika Hill, 39, of Riverhead, who was at the Long Island Weight Loss Institute in Port Jefferson Station on Wednesday, said she plans to ask her doctor about the Wegovy pill now that her insurance stopped covering Zepbound, another GLP-1. 

"I have a couple of friends who would like to use the weight loss [drugs] but they are afraid of injections," she added. 

Kaplan said many people ultimately save money on food when they start weight loss medication because they're less hungry.