American Diabetes Association puts Wegovy, Ozempic as preferred treatments

After years of promoting another drug, the American Diabetes Association updated its guidelines to put Wegovy and diabetes medication Ozempic as the preferred treatments for Type 2 diabetes, The Wall Street Journal reported March 5. 

Wegovy is a weight-loss drug and Ozempic is a diabetes medication. Both treatments, which are the generic semaglutide, have been in shortage for months as demand spiked amid viral weight-loss trends on social media. 

In past guidelines, the American Diabetes Association recommended providers prescribe metformin for Type 2 diabetes patients, but semaglutide took its place. The newer drugs can treat more than high blood sugar — which metformin focuses on — and help diabetes patients with hypertension, kidney disease and obesity. 

A month's supply of Wegovy and Ozempic costs thousands of dollars each, and metformin can cost about $25 without insurance or discounts, according to the Journal and GoodRx data. 

Rozalina McCoy, MD, a Mayo Clinic physician who treats diabetes patients in Rochester, Minn., told the Journal the price difference can make the recommended drugs "out of reach for a lot of people who benefit the most."

The drugs recommended by the American Diabetes Association for first treatments are AstraZeneca's Byetta, Bydureon and Farxiga; Eli Lilly's Trulicity and Mounjaro; Sanofi's Adlyxin; Novo Nordisk's Ozempic, Victoza and Rybelsus; Johnson & Johnson's Invokana; Merck's Steglatro; and Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly's Jardiance.

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