12:00: In the age of Ozempic, who gets it and who pays?
1:00: Open Door Mission draws lines
Millions of adults take popular drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro to treat chronic conditions and/or lose weight. The GLP-1 medications have made headlines for their effectiveness, and new studies have shown that some of them can also curb alcohol and drug consumption and lower the risk of a heart attack. But not everyone has equal access to the medications. While some patients are able to obtain them through their health care providers, others have turned to online platforms that don't require prescriptions. In many cases, they can also be cost prohibitive: Ozempic, for example, can cost up to $1,000 per month without insurance. This hour, we explore the latest with these medications: what they treat, how they work, and who should be able to access them. Our guests:
- Zachary Burns, D.O., assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center and associate director of Moving Medicine Forward
- Erica Davis, patient who uses weight loss medication, theater professional, educator, and mother
- Molly Ranney, MS, RD, CDN, CSOWM, lead dietitian for the Bariatric Center at Highland Hospital
- Kaci Schiavone, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Surgery, Bariatric/GI at the University of Rochester Medical Center
Then in our second hour, for much of the past year, the Open Door Mission has been operating at nearly double capacity. The mission serves the local homeless population, and its leadership is looking for new ways of doing things. That includes a partnership with another local shelter. It also includes setting boundaries on what it can and cannot do for people in need. We discuss it all with the mission's executive director. In studio:
- Anna Valeria, chief executive officer of Open Door Mission
"Connections with Evan Dawson" is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.
