Zepbound

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The first step is to talk with your doctor to find out if you’re a candidate and to see if there are other considerations when it comes to side effects or long-term concerns, Tchang says.

She recommends starting with a primary care physician or visiting the American Board of Obesity Medicine to find a certified obesity medicine doctor.

Medscape,which makes Zepbound, is now providing direct access to the drug with a new website called LillyDirect, the company announced on TODAY in an exclusive interview that aired Jan. 4. It’s the first pharmaceutical company to allow direct sales.

People using the program can find a doctor or telehealth provider and get some prescription medicines, including Zepbound, shipped directly to them.

Critics worry easier access may lead to abuse by people who just want to lose a few pounds.

Wegovy and Zepbound are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for people with obesity or those who have complications from being overweight. They’re meant for chronic weight management, not recreational or intermittent use.

LillyDirect users seeking a prescription must have a doctor’s visit — just not in person. The drugs need to be used under the supervision of a physician, Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks told TODAY.

Dr. Roshini Raj, a gastroenterologist and clinical associate professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said she had mixed feelings about the new program.

“This could really open up the availability of this very important and potentially life-saving medication for many people,” Raj said on TODAY.

“On the other hand, as someone who practices medicine both in person and telemedicine, I always feel like I prefer to use telemedicine for those visits with patients I already know.”

She’d prefer to see a new patient seeking a weight-loss drug in person to get the full picture of the potential side effects and complications they might experience, she added.

It will be important to monitor the program and make sure it’s not just a “free-for-all” two-minute tele-visit for anyone to get the treatment, Raj said.

The drugs are so popular that health officials have been warning about fake versions showing up in the U.S. and other countries. In December, the FDA reported counterfeit Ozempic was found in U.S. drug supply chain, along with counterfeit needles. The agency urged patients and doctors to check for a certain lot and serial number to spot the fake.