The Case for Expanding Access to Weight-Loss Medications | Alison Sexton Ward Mar 12, 2026 Mar 12, 2026 0 × GLP-1 drugs are changing consumer behaviors, prompting businesses to find news ways to meet shifting customer demands. Michael Yoshida reports. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Alison Sexton Ward kAmp=2C>65 3J C:D:?8 C2E6D @7 @36D:EJ[ AF3=:4 962=E9 @77:4:2=D 92G6 FC865 p>6C:42?D 7@C 564256D E@ 62E 36EE6C[ >@G6 >@C6 2?5 >2<6 962=E9:6C 49@:46D] *6E @36D:EJ C2E6D <6AE C:D:?8[ A62<:?8 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^?6HD]82==FA]4@>^A@==^ehedhh^@36D:EJ\C2E6\564=:?:?8]2DAIRiOiE6IEl%96Ta_3:886DETa_C65F4E:@?Ta_:?Ta_@36D:EJ[`Ta_>65:4:?6Ta_7@CTa_H6:89ETa_=@DD]Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmc_T @7 p>6C:42?D :? a_aak^2m] %96 564=:?6 D:?46 E96? :D =:?<65 E@ D@>6E9:?8 6=D6i 2 ?6H 4=2DD @7 >65:42E:@?D <?@H? 2D v{!\`]k^AmkAm%96 2CC:G2= @7 E96D6 5CF8D 92D 9:DE@C:4 :>A=:42E:@?D 7@C p>6C:42?D’ 962=E9] ~36D:EJ 2?5 :ED C6=2E65 4@?5:E:@?D — :?4=F5:?8 5:236E6D[ 962CE 5:D62D6[ DEC@<6 2?5 42?46C — 2C6 C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C 2 =2C86 A6C46?E286 @7 562E9D 2??F2==J 2?5 244@F?E 7@C 2 D:8?:7:42?E A2CE @7 E96 ?2E:@?’D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]962=E92772:CD]@C8^5@:^`_]`bff^9=E9277]a_ad]__dcdnFE>0D@FC46l492E8AE]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmSd]b EC:==:@?k^2m :? 962=E9 42C6 4@DED]k^Am People are also reading… Rocky Mount businesses to host pub crawl for St. Patrick's Day How to vote early in Franklin County for Virginia redistricting amendment Review: Too many films inspire janky ‘Bride!’ Osprey 10K and 5K return to Smith Mountain Lake State Park in April Update: ODU students disarmed and killed gunman who attacked classroom, source says Why Roanoke County passed a resolution opposing Virginia's redistricting attempt Update: One victim, gunman dead after shooting in ODU classroom Review: Great ending saves ‘Reminders of Him’ Franklin County School Board requests $8.9 million in additional funding Virginia General Assembly going to special session to resolve budget standoff Longtime Franklin County firefighter Jane Crawford recognized by governor Mastermind of Roanoke pandemic fraud scheme gets 8 years in prison Holland Perdue seeking reelection as Rocky Mount's mayor All clear: UVa bomb threat ruled a hoax Man killed in ODU shooting identified as head of university’s Army ROTC kAmv{!\` >65:42E:@?D =:<6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?6;>]@C8^5@:^A57^`_]`_de^}ty|@2a_ba`gbn2CE:4=6%@@=DlECF6U2>AjFE>0D@FC46l492E8AE]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmD6>28=FE:56k^2m 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?6;>]@C8^5@:^A57^`_]`_de^?6;>@2aa_e_bgnFE>0D@FC46l492E8AE]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmE:CK6A2E:56k^2m 96=A A2E:6?ED =@D6 `dT E@ a_T @7 E96:C 3@5J H6:89E[ @FE4@>6D E92E 3692G:@C2= :?E6CG6?E:@?D 92G6 ?6G6C 249:6G65 2E D42=6]k^AmkAm*6E :?DFC2?46 4@G6C286 7@C v{!\`D AC6D4C:365 7@C H6:89E =@DD C6>2:?D =:>:E65] |:==:@?D @7 p>6C:42?D =24< 2446DD E@ EC62E>6?ED E92E 4@F=5 =6?8E96? 2?5 :>AC@G6 E96:C =:G6D[ H9:=6 36?5:?8 E96 4FCG6 @7 &]$] 962=E9 42C6 DA6?5:?8]k^Am kA 52E2\DE2CElQc__hQ 52E2\6?5lQcdgeQmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^D4926776C]FD4]65F^C6D62C49^=:76E:>6\D@4:2=\C6EFC?D\7C@>\6IA2?5:?8\2446DD\E@\2?E:\@36D:EJ\>65:42E:@?D^nFE>0D@FC46l492E8AE]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm#6D62C49k^2m 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 $@FE96C? r2=:7@C?:2’D $4926776C r6?E6C 7@C w62=E9 !@=:4J U2>Aj t4@?@>:4D 7:?5D E92E H:56DAC625 2446DD E@ v{!\` E96C2A:6D 4@F=5 86?6C2E6 D:8?:7:42?E 36?67:ED E@ D@4:6EJ] *@F?8 25F=ED DE2CE:?8 EC62E>6?E 36EH66? 286D ad E@ bc 4@F=5 82:? ?62C=J EH@ J62CD @7 =:76 6IA64E2?4J[ DA6?5 ?62C=J D:I 76H6C J62CD H:E9 5:236E6D[ 2?5 C65F46 E96:C C:D< @7 9JA6CE6?D:@?[ 962CE 5:D62D6[ DEC@<6 2?5 42?46C] tG6? |65:42C6 36?67:4:2C:6D H9@ DE2CE EC62E>6?E 36EH66? 286D ed 2?5 fc 42? 6IA64E E@ =:G6 23@FE D:I >@?E9D =@?86C 2?5 6IA6C:6?46 C65F465 E:>6 =:G:?8 H:E9 5:236E6D]k^Am kA 52E2\DE2CElQcdggQ 52E2\6?5lQd`ghQmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^D4926776C]FD4]65F^C6D62C49^36?67:ED\@7\>65:42C6\4@G6C286\7@C\H6:89E\=@DD\5CF8D^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm#6D62C49k^2m 2=D@ D9@HD E92E |65:42C6 4@G6C286 2=@?6 H@F=5 86?6C2E6 ?62C=J S` EC:==:@? :? 4F>F=2E:G6 D@4:2= 36?67:ED @G6C E96 ?6IE 564256] |65:42C6 :ED6=7 H@F=5 D2G6 36EH66? 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D@>6 42D6D[ 7@C @36D:EJ\C6=2E65 962CE 5:D62D6]k^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qmp |65:42C6 A:=@E AC@8C2> 368:??:?8 =2E6C E9:D J62C H:== 4@G6C v{!\`D 7@C @36D:EJ[ 3FE @?=J 7@C 36?67:4:2C:6D H9@ >66E DA64:7:4 4=:?:42= 4C:E6C:2]k^DA2?mk^Am kAm%96 9:DE@CJ @7 5:236E6D @776CD 2? :>A@CE2?E A2C2==6=] yFDE 2D 5:236E6D 42>6 E@ 36 C64@8?:K65 2D 2 3:@=@8:42= 5:D62D6 — C2E96C E92? 2 =:76DEJ=6 @?6 — EC62E23=6 H:E9 :?DF=:?[ :E :D E:>6 E@ 6IE6?5 E96 D2>6 F?56CDE2?5:?8 E@ @36D:EJ EC62E>6?E]k^Am Ward is a research scientist at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics. She wrote this for InsideSources.com. 0 comments Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story WEIGHT-LOSS DRUGS RESHAPE CONSUMER BEHAVIOR GLP-1 drugs are changing consumer behaviors, prompting businesses to find news ways to meet shifting customer demands. Michael Yoshida reports.
WEIGHT-LOSS DRUGS RESHAPE CONSUMER BEHAVIOR GLP-1 drugs are changing consumer behaviors, prompting businesses to find news ways to meet shifting customer demands. Michael Yoshida reports.
