Prescription weight-loss drugs have become so popular in the U.S. that Americans cannot get enough of them — literally.
Telehealth provider Ro has created a new tool that helps track the supply of in-demand GLP-1 weight-loss drugs across the country, aiming to assist patients in finding the medications amid shortages.
GLP-1 agonists are a class of Type 2 diabetes drugs that improve blood sugar control and may also lead to weight loss. Semaglutide, which is the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Ozempic, as well as tirzepatide, which is the active ingredient in Eli Lilly's Mounjaro and Zepbound, are considered GLP-1 drugs.
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Demand for the drugs has surged in recent years as people touted the drugs' weight-loss effects. But now, the medications are in short supply, and Ro says its new GLP-1 supply tracker can help.
The tool allows patients to report the drug, dose and pharmacy where they find a supply of GLP-1 medications, and to report shortages that can be automatically sent to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
It also allows patients to sign-up for email alerts to be notified when a GLP-1 supply becomes available in their area, and when the status of a GLP-1 drug is updated on the FDA's Drug Shortage List.
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Ro said it initially planned to develop the tracker to assist its own patients, but decided to make it available for anyone who needs it.
"The GLP-1 shortage challenges are exacerbated by a lack of accurate, up-to-date, and accessible GLP-1 supply information. Patients deserve better," Ro co-founder and CEO Zachariah Reitano said in a statement.
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"We originally began building this tracker for Ro patients but knew that our scaled supply data and tech expertise positioned us to help all patients (whether Ro patient or not) navigate the shortage and have a greater chance of finding the GLP-1 medications they need," Reitano added.
