GLP-1 weight-loss drugs work. The problem has been getting people to take them consistently—weekly self-injections and high costs have kept millions from starting or staying on treatment. Novo Nordisk offered a solution. In 2025, the FDA approved a daily pill version of Wegovy, making it the first oral GLP-1 medication for weight loss. The pill is cheaper to manufacture and distribute than injections, and under an agreement between pharmaceutical companies and the White House, a month’s supply of the initial dose will cost $149 for people on federal insurance plans like Medicare and Medicaid, and for those paying out of pocket. The FDA also approved Eli Lilly’s competing pill, Foundayo, in April, which could transform the medications from hard-to-access injectables into a more standard treatment for obesity worldwide.
