A recent study has shown that weight loss medications like Wegovy or Ozempic can lead to meaningful weight loss regardless of whether individuals have had previous weight loss surgery. The study found that insurance coverage and cost are the most common barriers to starting these medications, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. Side effects and drug shortages were also reasons why some people stopped taking the medication. On average, people lost about 6% of their total body weight after nearly a year of taking semaglutide, the active ingredient in these medications. Interestingly, the total weight loss was almost the same between those who had weight loss surgery (5.8%) and those who had not (6.0%). However, in the non-surgery group, women lost significantly more weight (6.4%) compared to men (4.8%). The study analyzed electronic health records of 2,491 adults prescribed semaglutide between 2018 and 2023. The average age of participants was 51, with 74% being White and 78% being women. Among these, 13% had a history of weight loss surgery. The study also looked at why some people did not start or stopped taking semaglutide. Of the 500 patients examined, 75 never started the drug, mainly due to insurance or cost issues. Another 100 started but then stopped, with side effects and drug shortages being common reasons. Those who continued taking semaglutide lost an average of 8.5% of their total body weight after 50 weeks. Experts emphasize the need for more equitable access to these powerful medications, as current high costs and limited insurance coverage make them less accessible to many people.