High demand for weight-loss and diabetes drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy has led to a shortage in manufacturing. In the meantime, a market for cheaper, compounded drugs thrives.

One of the researchers described the circumstances that led to the discovery as “serendipity.” This year’s prestigious Lasker medical awards recognize a trio of scientists without whom Ozempic and other blockbuster weight-loss drugs might not exist.

Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are offering discounts to encourage more insurance coverage of the medicines, which carry price tags of over $1,000 a month.

F ROM LOS ANGELES to London, weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic are reshaping culture as much as waistlines. Some Ozempic-takers have tiny appetites and dine at unusual hours to avoid spells of nausea.

Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic are booming in popularity, but experts warn they aren't silver bullets for obesity.