Dartmouth Health’s Post

The FDA (FD&C act) permits compounding when the supply chain is under strain, as is currently the case with GLP-1s. Many patients are experiencing significant difficulties in obtaining consistent access to GLP-1 medications for both obesity and diabetes. This shortage is anticipated to worsen, particularly with the new cardiovascular indication for Wegovy, potentially leading to millions of prescriptions for Medicare patients alone. Consequently, using credible GLP-1 copies from a 503B facility is the only viable option to meet the increasing demand. compounded copies of other meds are widely used in hospitals including IV meds ; for example, most of the albuterol available in the market was at some point recently a non-FDA-approved compounded copies. Compounded medications can be lifesaving when used responsibly. According to the information I have received, some reputable healthcare facilities are already in the process of vetting their own sources for these compounds.

Although Wegovy already had FDA approval as an anti-obesity medication, Medicare is prohibited by law from covering drugs when prescribed for obesity. The drug’s new approval by the FDA for use to reduce heart attacks and stroke paves the way for Medicare to cover it for those purposes. How will this change affect who can access the drug under Medicare? Learn more in our analysis: https://bit.ly/3UunNuw

Who gets weight loss drugs first? A mother fighting obesity? A twelve-year-old with diabetes? Kim Kardashian?  With the current global shortage of GLP-1s (Ozempic, Weygovy, Mounjaro), these are the tough choices that we’ve been forced to consider. My co-authors and I have spent the last couple months examining this topic and I’m excited to finally share our study out today in NEJM. Fair allocation of scarce medical resources – like GLP-1s – rests on four values: benefiting people and preventing or reducing harm, acting with equal moral concern, prioritizing disadvantaged people, and rewarding social contribution. With that in mind, here are some of our findings on how GLP-1s can be distributed most ethically: 1. GLP-1s should not be allocated based on first-come first-served or the ability to pay.  2. To prioritize disadvantaged people, special consideration should be given to those who would be worse off without intervention. 3. Priority should go to younger patients, those with severe obesity, and those with severe diabetes. If you want to take a closer look at how we ensure that GLP-1s are reaching the people who need it most, check out our study–linked in the comments. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Special thanks to Govind Persad, Johan Dellgren, and Matthew McCoy for their collaboration. #HealthcareAllocation #MedicalEthics #HealthEquity #ObesityTreatment #HealthcareonLinkedIn

Kelly Hooper's article from last summer in POLITICO is still resonating as it highlights a crucial issue for public health, national security, and economic prosperity: the opioid crisis. Rahul Gupta, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, emphasized:   "Without policy action, 165,000 lives could be lost a year to the overdose crisis by 2025."   There is a growing demand for safer pain treatments. At Cytogel Pharma, we’ve recently announced that our innovative pain management compound, CYT-1010, is cleared to enter Phase 2 clinical development. This milestone brings us closer to providing a safe and effective alternative for pain treatment.     #SaferPainTreatments #Phase2

With obesity affecting over 40% of US adults and GLP-1 drugs offering promise but at high costs, organizations are evaluating coverage options and considering weight management solutions. Learn more about the perspectives and strategies of health plans and employers related to GLP-1s in our new issue brief written by Morgan Lee and Sarah Fleming, PharmD.: Obesity GLP-1 Coverage and Weight Management Vendor Considerations. https://lnkd.in/g4aTXf7X

Drug overdose deaths continue to climb in the U.S., taking more than 100,000 lives a year. In response, public health leaders are exploring harm reduction policies. Our panel of experts will explore drug policy reform proposals and discuss the emerging evidence for strategies such as safe consumption sites, improved access to medications for opioid use disorder, and opportunities to destigmatize drug use. Join the discussion on March 27, 1 pm ET. Register: https://lnkd.in/e3AGBiNp

While GLP-1 medications are making waves for their effectiveness in treating diabetes, insulin resistance, and obesity. While their benefits are clear, their growing popularity requires careful consideration! Our very own Dr. Shealynn Buck, ’s Chief Medical Officer, recently shared her expert insights on LocktonKHOU 11's Great Day Houston. Be sure to check out the full segment to learn more about the impact and considerations of GLP-1 medications: http://spr.ly/6047URx3X

There has been a lot of media coverage around how many patients have struggled to get affordable GLP-1 prescriptions to treat obesity. However, as this recent Bloomberg article notes, cheaper oral options already exist — including a VIVUS weight-management prescription medication. This article covers existing weight-loss pills already on the market that are both effective and far less expensive. VIVUS CEO John Amos is quoted in the article, discussing VIVUS’ weight- management prescription medication. Read the Bloomberg article here: https://bloom.bg/49fvk4U VIVUS is committed to advancing treatment options for obesity and offering much-needed hope to patients globally. To learn more about our work in this area please visit VIVUS.com. #treatingobesity #obesitymedicine #vivusllc #weightmanagement #weightlossmedications

Did you know that on average opioids improve pain by around 30%. Long-term use generally leads to tolerance meaning this effect reduced with duration of use unless the dose is increased. We pride ourselves on assisting doctors with the deprescribing of opioids which leads to significant improvements in peoples quality of life. Specialists often recommend reducing and ceasing opioids but give no detailed guidance to GPs to do so. Independent Med Management are leading the way in providing individualized reduction and cessation plans to doctors in order to achieve successful cessation of opioid medications. Opioids prescribed to your Claimant? IMM is the answer.

Did you catch up on this week's obesity and metabolic health headlines? ▶ Elaine Chen at STAT on new studies to suggest GLP-1 health care costs have only begun to climb. ▶ Large employers are trying to limit the costs of the expensive new generation of weight-loss drugs, from POLITICO. ▶ Delayed gastric emptying and pulmonary aspiration following induction of anesthesia in patients using GLP-1 drugs is not an issue, as per JAMA. ▶ The Kaiser Family Foundation analyzed Medicare data from 2020; an estimated 7% of Medicare beneficiaries, or 3.6 million overall were candidates for for GLP-1 drug Wegovy. These stories and more in our weekly newsletter. Link below! #obesity #metabolichealth #GLP1s #letstalkaboutobesity