ADVERTISEMENT

Anecdotal Reality - Fat Shots

Last edited:
My doctor told me this week that the new shots to get rid of belly fat cost $5 to make and they charge you (your insurer - Medicare doesn't cover) $1,500 a pop.

Where is that Rockfish "Single Payer" Prick when ya need him, eh?
It may be much cheaper than that:


It started being sold in 2017, I don't they had to get their research money back but 7 years of $1000 shots has to have made a whole lot of that back.
 
I can lift all day. Fing hate cardio
What, you don't like a 150 heart rate for 30 mins?

I row but hate it. Used to use a spin bike but find them dreadfully uncomfortable. And my rowing dies once the weather improves and it's light out til 8pm +. Then it's disc golf season.
 
It may be much cheaper than that:


It started being sold in 2017, I don't they had to get their research money back but 7 years of $1000 shots has to have made a whole lot of that back.
Only a fool would think that Lilly’s / Novo’s margins are not robust to the point of absurd. But only a fool also thinks that the right way to calculate costs of a dose are akin to what’s listed in that study. The indirect people costs alone of bringing that product to market every day is very high. Forget direct selling. The Regulatory, Compliance, Quality, Pharmacovigilance and patient support programs would be in the tens (perhaps as high as 100M) of millions annually. It’s not as simple as adding ingredient cost to formulation to packaging and saying “tada! here it is!” unless one is writing a sensationalist piece.

 
What, you don't like a 150 heart rate for 30 mins?

I row but hate it. Used to use a spin bike but find them dreadfully uncomfortable. And my rowing dies once the weather improves and it's light out til 8pm +. Then it's disc golf season.
is rowing better than jogging? i've never tried rowing
 
My doctor told me this week that the new shots to get rid of belly fat cost $5 to make and they charge you (your insurer - Medicare doesn't cover) $1,500 a pop.

Where is that Rockfish "Single Payer" Prick when ya need him, eh?
Ozempic or Monjourno or is this something different?
 
What, you don't like a 150 heart rate for 30 mins?

I row but hate it. Used to use a spin bike but find them dreadfully uncomfortable. And my rowing dies once the weather improves and it's light out til 8pm +. Then it's disc golf season.
Lars I saw some disc golfers last evening at a park. It was horrifying. Just a terrible looking group of dudes.
 
Only a fool would think that Lilly’s / Novo’s margins are not robust to the point of absurd. But only a fool also thinks that the right way to calculate costs of a dose are akin to what’s listed in that study. The indirect people costs alone of bringing that product to market every day is very high. Forget direct selling. The Regulatory, Compliance, Quality, Pharmacovigilance and patient support programs would be in the tens (perhaps as high as 100M) of millions annually. It’s not as simple as adding ingredient cost to formulation to packaging and saying “tada! here it is!” unless one is writing a sensationalist piece.


So the price will never come down from $1000, because they will always need patient support programs? Is this class of drugs unique, do other diabetes drugs have patient support programs like this because drugs like Synjardy aren't 1/10th this price.
 
Expected sales over 2-3 years, split the $3 billion across the volume???

obama-come-on-what-2.gif
 
So the price will never come down from $1000, because they will always need patient support programs? Is this class of drugs unique, do other diabetes drugs have patient support programs like this because drugs like Synjardy aren't 1/10th this price.
The price will definitely come down - especially once biosimilars enter the market. That has nothing to do with what I said.
 
So the price will never come down from $1000, because they will always need patient support programs? Is this class of drugs unique, do other diabetes drugs have patient support programs like this because drugs like Synjardy aren't 1/10th this price.

There are two incorrect assumptions going on here:

1) Costs will stay the same.

These are novel therapeutics that recently hit the market and where there are tremendous imbalance of supply and demand. Costs will inevitable come down when competition hits the market (as Ranger said) and as the supply chain gets ramped up (Novo just bought Catalent to literally convert all of its production for this one product).

2) Drug makers want these high prices.

If you are Novo, you want the price to get lower so that you can get more and more people on the drug. These are not short-term drugs. Everyone who goes on them is ultimately reliant on maintaining their usage or there is an extremely high probability of weight reversion. They'd love nothing more than to quadruple their customer base that is hooked for the long-term, even if they can only charge $500/per vs. $1,000.
 
Rowing will get you to max heart rate faster than jogging but you won’t be able to do it as long. It’s a smoker.
I try to do some steady state stuff, keeping heart rate under 130 for 10k meters, etc. But yeah, you can blow yourself out. I do some interval shit like 500m/rest one minute/500m repeat where i keep the 500m under 1:50

Do 15 intervals.

Die.
 
There are two incorrect assumptions going on here:

1) Costs will stay the same.

These are novel therapeutics that recently hit the market and where there are tremendous imbalance of supply and demand. Costs will inevitable come down when competition hits the market (as Ranger said) and as the supply chain gets ramped up (Novo just bought Catalent to literally convert all of its production for this one product).

2) Drug makers want these high prices.

If you are Novo, you want the price to get lower so that you can get more and more people on the drug. These are not short-term drugs. Everyone who goes on them is ultimately reliant on maintaining their usage or there is an extremely high probability of weight reversion. They'd love nothing more than to quadruple their customer base that is hooked for the long-term, even if they can only charge $500/per vs. $1,000.
Whoa…. They bought Catalent? Did not know this!!
 
se
The price will definitely come down - especially once biosimilars enter the market. That has nothing to do with what I said.
A quick look shows several "similar" drugs using GLP-1:

  • Mounjaro (tirzepatide)
    This injectable medication helps regulate blood sugar and slows down digestion.
  • Trulicity (dulaglutide)
    This injectable medication improves blood sugar, slows digestion, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular events.
  • Rybelsus (semaglutide)
    This tablet medication has the same active ingredient as Ozempic and works the same way.
  • Wegovy
    Also known as semaglutide, this injectable medication is FDA-approved for weight management.
  • Zepbound
    This FDA-approved medication is for weight management and may help adults and children with obesity.
  • Saxenda
    This prescription-only medication is made with liraglutide and is approved for treating obesity in people 12 and older.

A quick look shows my insurance can get it for $88. I doubt they are selling to Anthem at a loss of $912/month. I doubt they are selling it at a $.01 loss. These drugs might be a real game changer for people. It won't be for those needing $1000/month. The problem may be with PBMs.




 
se

A quick look shows several "similar" drugs using GLP-1:

  • Mounjaro (tirzepatide)
    This injectable medication helps regulate blood sugar and slows down digestion.
  • Trulicity (dulaglutide)
    This injectable medication improves blood sugar, slows digestion, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular events.
  • Rybelsus (semaglutide)
    This tablet medication has the same active ingredient as Ozempic and works the same way.
  • Wegovy
    Also known as semaglutide, this injectable medication is FDA-approved for weight management.
  • Zepbound
    This FDA-approved medication is for weight management and may help adults and children with obesity.
  • Saxenda
    This prescription-only medication is made with liraglutide and is approved for treating obesity in people 12 and older.

A quick look shows my insurance can get it for $88. I doubt they are selling to Anthem at a loss of $912/month. I doubt they are selling it at a $.01 loss. These drugs might be a real game changer for people. It won't be for those needing $1000/month. The problem may be with PBMs.




The problem is nearly 100% with PBMs.
 
se

A quick look shows several "similar" drugs using GLP-1:

  • Mounjaro (tirzepatide)
    This injectable medication helps regulate blood sugar and slows down digestion.
  • Trulicity (dulaglutide)
    This injectable medication improves blood sugar, slows digestion, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular events.
  • Rybelsus (semaglutide)
    This tablet medication has the same active ingredient as Ozempic and works the same way.
  • Wegovy
    Also known as semaglutide, this injectable medication is FDA-approved for weight management.
  • Zepbound
    This FDA-approved medication is for weight management and may help adults and children with obesity.
  • Saxenda
    This prescription-only medication is made with liraglutide and is approved for treating obesity in people 12 and older.

A quick look shows my insurance can get it for $88. I doubt they are selling to Anthem at a loss of $912/month. I doubt they are selling it at a $.01 loss. These drugs might be a real game changer for people. It won't be for those needing $1000/month. The problem may be with PBMs.




There are many, many pharmacies making compounds and places out of country selling it. The compounds can be sketchy though, so has to be a reputable one.
 
A quick look shows my insurance can get it for $88. I doubt they are selling to Anthem at a loss of $912/month. I doubt they are selling it at a $.01 loss. These drugs might be a real game changer for people. It won't be for those needing $1000/month. The problem may be with PBMs.

I've been using Trelegy for several months after I got pneumonia. My Humana Medicare statement says it costs them close to $500. I pay $48. I have no idea if they actually pay the full difference. Unlike other line items, they don't show a discount applied before they pay what they pay.
 
These drugs might be a real game changer for people.

You are buying into the hype. We all agree obesity is a major problem - in terms of general health and costs. But, these drugs do NOT solve the long-term problem. It remains to be seen if those that use them will: A) get themselves into a healthier spot while taking them - meaning exercise more and eat better food, not just less of it, and B) if they are able to successfully ween off of these medications without relapsing. That doesn't even touch on the side effects or long-term physical health effects of taking them.

I have significant doubts based on the reported relapse rate and am hopefully there will be a more effective solution in the future.
 
  • Like
Reactions: larsIU
You are buying into the hype. We all agree obesity is a major problem - in terms of general health and costs. But, these drugs do NOT solve the long-term problem. It remains to be seen if those that use them will: A) get themselves into a healthier spot while taking them - meaning exercise more and eat better food, not just less of it, and B) if they are able to successfully ween off of these medications without relapsing. That doesn't even touch on the side effects or long-term physical health effects of taking them.

I have significant doubts based on the reported relapse rate and am hopefully there will be a more effective solution in the future.
Why do they have to ween off? I know some people on the, and they are told it’s a lifetime drug, like many others. But yes, many do gain weight if they go off.
 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT