Costco to Offer Ozempic and Wegovy at Significantly Lower Prices, Raising Both Access and Safety Concerns
Seattle, WA – Costco is expanding its healthcare offerings to include Ozempic and Wegovy, popular medications for weight loss and type 2 diabetes, at prices reportedly up to half of what other pharmacies charge. The move, confirmed by Costco representatives, aims to increase access to these medications but is already sparking debate among medical professionals regarding potential safety risks and the appropriate use of the drugs.
The availability of Ozempic and wegovy at a lower cost addresses a critically important barrier to treatment for millions of Americans struggling with obesity and diabetes. While the reduced price point could dramatically expand access, experts caution that dispensing these powerful medications through a retail setting like Costco raises concerns about proper patient evaluation, monitoring, and potential misuse. The medications, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, have seen a surge in demand, frequently enough exceeding supply, and are frequently sought for off-label weight loss purposes.
“This is a double-edged sword,” explained Dr. Fatima Stanford, an obesity medicine specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital, to the Boston Globe. “On the one hand,it’s fantastic that we’re making these medications more accessible. On the other hand, these are medications that need to be prescribed and monitored by a physician.”
Costco’s entry into the GLP-1 market comes as demand for these drugs continues to outpace supply. Wegovy, manufactured by Novo Nordisk, and Ozempic, produced by Eli Lilly, work by mimicking a natural hormone that regulates appetite and blood sugar. While approved for type 2 diabetes management (Ozempic) and weight loss in individuals with obesity or weight-related medical conditions (Wegovy), their popularity has led to shortages and a thriving gray market.
Dr. Robert Sabet, an endocrinologist at ColumbiaDoctors, voiced concerns about patients potentially bypassing necesary medical oversight. “people may choose Costco over seeing a doctor, and that’s where the danger lies – choosing compounded pharmacy solutions, which have both safety and efficacy concerns, or to a wide host of unproven supplements, which don’t have proven benefit and can cause harm,” he said.
Further complicating the situation, doctors worry Costco’s model could blur the lines between healthcare and retail. Dr. caroline Apovian, co-director of the Center for weight Management and wellness at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, emphasized the need for more specialists in obesity medicine to ensure appropriate medication use. “The caveat to this is that we need more specialists in obesity medicine in this country to be able to use these medications the way they’re supposed to be used.That’s not going to happen at costco,” Apovian said.
