Americans turn to Mexico for Ozempic, the popular weight loss pill

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Ozempic
Started box = $285
in US= $915 (without insurance)
Note: According to different websites.

Parriva is not responsible for these numbers).

2023 may be the year of weight loss pills. In the face of the growing obesity in the United States, people have turned their attention to Ozempic, a pill approved to fight type 2 diabetes and obesity, but popularly used for weight loss in general.And despite the State Department’s declaration on the purchase of medicines in Mexican pharmacies, a growing number of people have chosen to go to the border to get supplies from Ozempic, given the high cost in the United States.

But WeightWatchers, for the first time, championed the use of pills to combat obesity, a measure classified as unrealistic in previous years. One woman went down to Mexico to get Ozempic after it was prescribed to her, saying she was able to purchase it at a Costco in Cabo San Lucas. “I didn’t have any problems going through customs or security or TSA,” said Gina Kingswood on her YouTube channel.

A TikTok user posted about her experience of her purchasing Ozempic in Mexico as well, saying, “I get this question a lot about the box of Ozempic I got from Mexico. I got the starter box and that box cost me $285.”

While the popularity of Ozempic remains high, it comes with serious potential side effects like thyroid rumors and cancer. Patients also report common side effects like nausea and abdominal pain.

“Ozempic face” is another reported side effect. Doctors say patients’ faces are sometimes left looking hollowed out and rapidly aged due to the dramatic weight loss.

“When it comes to facial aging, fat is typically more friend than foe,” plastic surgeon Dr. Oren Tepper told the New York Times. “Weight loss may turn back your biological age, but it tends to turn your facial clock forward.”

The practice of medical tourism isn’t new in the U.S. as people regularly travel in search of more affordable healthcare and prescriptions. With the demand for Ozempic high in the U.S., availability is low and costs are high.

Ozempic treats type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy is approved for people wanting to treat obesity and weight-related concerns. Both drugs are “semaglutides,” a class of drug used for long-term weight management.

According to GoodRx, Ozempic costs at least $915 a month without insurance. Many health care plans will cover the drug for diabetics but not for people who want to take it for weight loss.

“You’re looking at a health equity issue here when you’re talking about these weight loss drugs that very often we see in communities who you know are financially challenged,” said Dr. Carla Robinson.

After his suicide, a man’s family says Ozempic should carry a warning label