With Ozempic-type weight loss drugs in short supply, more people are turning to old-school weight loss drugs such as Qsymia and Contrave, which come in pill form but also include serious warning labels.
Savanna DiCristina, a Northeastern assistant clinical professor of pharmacy and health systems sciences, has witnessed the increased demand for the older class of drugs as a pharmacist at a health clinic for older, low-income adults in Brockton, Massachusetts.
She says that while Qsymia and Contrave have less of a dramatic effect in promoting weight loss than GLP-1 receptors such as Wegovy and Ozempic, their lower cost, availability and the fact they don’t require injections makes them an attractive option for some people seeking to manage their weight.
“There’s definitely an increased interest,” DiCristina says, which she attributes to shortages of GLP-1 receptor medications, even for people with diabetes, as well as to the reduced stigma around using drugs to manage weight loss.
Just be sure to heed the warning labels, DiCristina says. Qsymia is known to cause birth defects, while Contrave comes with a “black box” warning label for the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
