FDA Approves New ‘Chronic’ Weight Loss Drug

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday, November 8th released news that a new weight loss drug has been approved.

New drug intended for obese persons with weight management issues

The new drug will be prescribed under the name of Zepbound (tirzepatide), and it will be given in injection form.

The drug is intended for use by people who are considered to have an obese BMI or body mass index.  According to multiple medical sources, including the National Institutes of Health,  a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 kilograms per square meter is considered normal or healthy.

However, persons with a BMI of 30 kg per square meter and above are considered obese. With that obesity comes greatly increased health risk factors.

The drug is only intended for people who meet this criteria.

According to the FDA, this is how Zepbound works:

"Zepbound activates receptors of hormones secreted from the intestine to reduce appetite and food intake."

It's injected under the skin on a weekly basis, and each week the dose is increased over four to 20 weeks to achieve the necessary levels for it to work.

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And yes, it does come with side effects, according to the FCA:

(Zepbound can cause) "nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal (stomach) discomfort and pain, injection site reactions, fatigue, hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions (typically fever and rash), burping, hair loss and gastroesophageal reflux disease."

The FCA says the drug will be marketed by Lily and has received what are called Priority Review and Fast Track designations.

The FDA release did not indicate when it will be available to physicians for treatment, but it is expected to be soon.