In the search for this prophesised molecule, Dr Joel Habener and his team at Massachusetts General Hospital decided in the late 1970s to study glucagon, another hormone produced by the pancreas that has an opposite action to insulin and increases blood glucose levels
So they gained FDA approval specifically for obesity under the brand name Wegovy in 2021
The American Telemedicine Association notes that as of 2024, 43 states require a valid prescriber-patient relationship before any prescription, including a GLP-1, can be issued via telehealth 10
Sources: Wharton S, Lingvay I, Bogdanski P, et al
Her sister and caregiver, Linda Cox, is frustrated that Medicare wont cover a GLP-1 unless she is diagnosed with diabetes or cardiovascular disease