Topline
Tesla chief Elon Musk dubbed himself “Ozempic Santa” in an X post on Christmas Day, marking the tech billionaire’s latest show of support for weight-loss drugs as he has pushed for making them more accessible to the general public.
Musk published the post Wednesday. (Allison Robbert/Pool via AP)
Key Facts
Musk posted a photo of himself dressed as Santa without the holiday figure’s traditionally plump look, captioning the post, “Ozempic Santa.”
Musk elaborated in a follow-up post he is technically using the Eli Lilly weight-loss drug Mounjaro over Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, “but that doesn’t have the same ring to it.”
The post comes two weeks after Musk said on X “nothing would do more to improve the health, lifespan and quality of life for Americans” than making glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1) medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro “super low cost to the public.”
GLP-1 medications are considered prescription drugs and can cost Americans around $1,000 per month if they are uninsured.
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What’s The Difference Between Mounjaro And Ozempic?
Mounjaro and Ozempic can both help with weight loss but are specifically designated to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. However, a study published in peer-reviewed journal JAMA Internal Medicine found Mounjaro users achieved “significantly greater weight loss” than patients using Ozempic. Ozempic has a slight edge in list price ($968) when compared to Mounjaro ($1,069).
What Other Celebrities Have Used Weight-Loss Drugs?
Celebrities who have publicly disclosed their use of weight-loss drugs include Whoopi Goldberg, Charles Barkley, Oprah Winfrey and Tracy Morgan. Goldberg said in an interview with Kelly Clarkson this year she lost weight almost equivalent to two people, revealing Mounjaro helped her drop the weight.
Tangent
Though some GLP-1 medications have built a reputation for their effectiveness for weight loss, research has also found the drugs may provide other benefits, including treatment of alcohol addiction, cancer, Alzheimer’s and COVID-19. Research has also found Ozempic may lower opioid overdose risk.
Key Background
Musk’s push for affordable GLP-1 medications comes as lawmakers on both sides have sought expanded coverage for weight loss drugs. In June, The House Ways and Means Committee voted to lift a ban on weight-loss products covered by Medicare for some patients. The committee was spurred by a bipartisan House effort that proposed expanded coverage for patients with a prescription for more than one year. President Joe Biden, who will soon concede his position to President-Elect Donald Trump, proposed Medicare and Medicaid coverage for weight-loss drugs like Ozempic. The proposal would designate obesity as a disease that could be treated by the medications, meaning Medicare could provide the drugs after historically being barred from covering them under the Medicare Modernization Act. It is unclear how, or if, Trump would challenge the Biden policy if it is put in place next month.
Further Reading
Weight-Loss Drugs Like Ozempic Would Be Covered By Medicare And Medicaid Under Biden Plan (Forbes)
Ozempic, Wegovy Linked To Lower Hospitalizations In Alcohol Addicts, Research Shows (Forbes)
