May 29, 2024 - Health

Weight loss drugs are so hard to find that this company built a tracker

Tina Reed

Zepbound injectors from Eli Lilly. — Eli Lilly's anti-obesity drug Zepbound. Photo: Shelby Knowles/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Patients struggling to find doses of blockbuster anti-obesity and diabetes drugs will have new help from a drug supply tracker built by telehealth company Ro.

Why it matters: Explosive demand for drugs from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have led to shortages, making it difficult for patients with prescriptions to find the treatments when they need them.

How it works: Ro, which offers prescribing of the drugs known as GLP-1 agonists, said its tracker is free for anyone to use.

The tracker relies on the company's own supply data and user-generated reports to provide a real-time look at availability of drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound.
Patients can sign up for localized email alerts about pharmacies where drugs are in stock and dosing information.

The big picture: Novo and Lilly have announced investments worth billions in recent months aimed at meeting demand for the pricey drugs.

A growing industry of digital solutions has popped up around helping patients get prescriptions and, in some cases, wean off the drugs.
Earlier this month, AI health assistant app Together by Renee announced the launch of its new Find My Meds feature to automatically call and transfer GLP-1 prescriptions to nearby pharmacies where the drug is available for refills.

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Weight loss drugs are so hard to find that this company built a tracker

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