Koko News | 健康 | 07 Jul 2025

Obesity Drug Prices Falling, but Access Remains Challenging

PricesarefallingforthepopularobesitytreatmentsWegovyandZepbound, butsteadyaccesstothedrugsremainschallenging.

流行的減肥藥 Wegovy 和 Zepbound 的價格正在下降，但穩定獲得這些藥物仍然具有挑戰性。

Themedicationsstillamounttoaround$500permonthforthosewithoutinsurance—outofreachformanypatients.

對於沒有保險的人來說，這些藥物的費用每月仍高達 500 美元左右——這對許多患者來說是遙不可及的。

Doctorssaythesituationforcesthemtogetcreativeintreatingpatients, butthere’shopethatpricesmayfallmoreinthefuture.

醫生表示，這種情況迫使他們在治療病人時發揮創造力，但未來價格有望進一步下降。

WegovyandZepboundarepartofawaveofobesitymedicationsknownasGLP-1receptoragoniststhathavesoaredinpopularity.

Wegovy 和 Zepbound 是 GLP-1 受體激動劑類減肥藥中的一種，這類藥物的受歡迎程度正在飆升。

Zepboundbroughtin $2.3 billion in U.S. sales duringthisyear’sfirstquarter, makingitoneofdrugmakerEliLilly’sbestsellers.

今年第一季度，Zepbound 在美國實現了 23 億美元的銷售額，成為製藥商禮來公司最暢銷的產品之一。

NovoNordisksaysWegovyhasabout 200,000 weeklyprescriptionsinthe U.S., whereitbroughtinnearly $1.9 billion infirst-quartersales.

諾和諾德表示，Wegovy 在美國每週的處方量約為 20 萬張，第一季的銷售額接近 19 億美元。

ThebenefitsconsultantMercersaysmorebusinesseswith500ormoreemployeesareaddingcoverageoftheinjecteddrugsfortheirworkersandfamilymembers.

福利顧問默瑟表示，越來越多擁有 500 名或更多員工的企業正在為其員工和家庭成員增加註射毒品保險。

ButmoststateandfederallyfundedMedicaidprogramsdon’tcoverthedrugsforobesityandneitherdoesMedicare, thefederalprogrammainlyforpeopleage65andolder.

但大多數州和聯邦政府資助的醫療補助計劃並不涵蓋治療肥胖症的藥物，主要針對 65 歲及以上人群的聯邦醫療保險計劃也不涵蓋。

Somecompoundingpharmaciesandotherentitieswereallowedtomakeoff-brand, cheapercopiesofWegovyandZepboundwhentherewasashortageofthedrugs.

當藥品短缺時，一些配藥藥房和其他實體被允許生產 Wegovy 和 Zepbound 的非品牌、更便宜的仿製品。

Himssaystheseplansstartat$165amonthfor12months, withcustomerspayinginfullupfront.

Hims 表示，這些方案起價為每月 165 美元，為期 12 個月，客戶需要預先全額付款。

Bothcompaniesaredevelopingpillversionsoftheirtreatments. Thosecouldhitthemarketinthenextyearorso, whichmightdrivedownpricesfortheolder, injectabledoses.

兩家公司都在開發各自療法的藥丸版本。這些版本預計將於明年左右上市，這可能會降低傳統注射劑的價格。

Prices are falling for the popular obesity treatments Wegovy and Zepbound, but steady access to the drugs remains challenging.

The medications still amount to around $500 per month for those without insurance — out of reach for many patients.

Doctors say the situation forces them to get creative in treating patients, but there’s hope that prices may fall more in the future.

Wegovy and Zepbound are part of a wave of obesity medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists that have soared in popularity.

Zepbound brought in $2.3 billion in U.S. sales during this year’s first quarter, making it one of drugmaker Eli Lilly’s best sellers.

Novo Nordisk says Wegovy has about 200,000 weekly prescriptions in the U.S., where it brought in nearly $1.9 billion in first-quarter sales.

The benefits consultant Mercer says more businesses with 500 or more employees are adding coverage of the injected drugs for their workers and family members.

But most state and federally funded Medicaid programs don’t cover the drugs for obesity and neither does Medicare, the federal program mainly for people age 65 and older.

Some compounding pharmacies and other entities were allowed to make off-brand, cheaper copies of Wegovy and Zepbound when there was a shortage of the drugs.

Hims says these plans start at $165 a month for 12 months, with customers paying in full upfront.

Both companies are developing pill versions of their treatments. Those could hit the market in the next year or so, which might drive down prices for the older, injectable doses.