New weight loss drug could break sales records
'S TRACK ON TODAY'S DAILY HEALTH . THERE'S A PROMISING NEW WEIGHT LOSS DRUG THAT'S GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION AND NOT JUST BECAUSE OF ITS TEST RESULTS. >> IF IT'S APPROVED BY THE FDA, THE MEDICATION TO BECOME THE BEST-SELLING DRUG. GET THIS, OF ALL TIME. THERE'S CONCERN OVER WHO WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT. IT'S PRETTY EXPENSIVE. JOINING US NOW IS DR. BLACKSTOCK. GREAT TO SEE YOU, HAPPY NEW YEAR. FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS THIS NEW WEIGHT LOSS DRUG AND HOW DOES IT WORK WITH YOU HOW ARE PEOPLE USING IT ? >> HAPPY NEW YEAR'S, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME! THIS NEW DRUG IS ACTUALLY SIMILAR TO OTHER DRUGS ALREADY ON THE MARKET. ESSENTIALLY, IT MAKES PEOPLE LESS HUNGRY.
THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR ALSO CHANGES HOW THE BODY METABOLIZES SUGAR AND FAT. THE STUDY SHOWS THAT PEOPLE ON IT LOST ABOUT 20% OF THEIR BODY WEIGHT. THAT WAS SUSTAINED WEIGHT LOSS. >> THAT'S A LOT. >> DRUGMAKER ELI LILLY IS BEHIND THIS PARTICULAR DRUG, RIGHT? WAITING ON FDA APPROVAL. WE HAVE ANY SENSE OF HOW MUCH IT COULD COST? OUR WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS EVEN COVERED BY INSURANCE? >> OTHER MEDICATIONS THAT ARE SIMILAR ARE NOT ONLY COVERED BY PRIVATE INSURANCE, THEY'RE DEFINITELY NOT COVERED MEDICARE. SOME MEDICAID MAKE EVERETT. IT'S VERY, VERY PRICEY AMERICAN WITH OBESITY THAT. NEEDS T INNOVATION HAS TO SAY AT A PROFIT. THE CONCERN OF THE AVERAGE AMERICAN WITH OBESITY THAT NEEDS THIS MEDICATION WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT IF THEIR INSURANCE DOESN'T COVER IT. IT WOULD ONLY BE AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO ARE VERY RICH. THE PROBLEM IS THAT INSURANCE COMPANIES DON'T THINK OF OBESITY AS AN ILLNESS OR A MEDICAL PROBLEM. WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY THEY THINK ABOUT IT. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT COSMETICS BUT ABOUT HEALTH AS WELL. >> IT'S SO EXPENSIVE. REAL BEFORE YOU GO, WE HAVE TO ASK, ANY DANGERS TO THIS DRUG? ANY SIDE EFFECTS.
>> THESE DRUGS ARE NOT ONLY BEING EFFECTIVE THEY ALSO ARE PRETTY SAFE. SOME OF THE COMMON SIDE EFFECTS ARE GASTROINTESTINAL. NAUSEA, VOMITING, DIARRHEA. OTHERWISE, THEY ARE RARELY WELL- TOLERATED FOR PEOPLE WHO TAKE THEM. >> DID THEY KNOW ABOUT THE LONG TERM? I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THEY HAVE BEEN STUDYING THIS DRUG. DIVINA WILL HAPPEN OVERTIME IF THEY REGAIN THE WEIGHT? >> SO FAR, CITATIONS FOR A FEW YEARS.
THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP OFF THE WEIGHT.
