Dr. Sarah Molasky

Right. So I would, I don't feel as well versed at the age difference because most of my patients are on the younger end who are taking this. I have seen a lot of insurances not be willing to cover these for patients over a certain age because potentially there is higher risk. I would also argue that most of these meds weren't studied on that patient population. That's a big key issue.

Right. So I would, I don't feel as well versed at the age difference because most of my patients are on the younger end who are taking this. I have seen a lot of insurances not be willing to cover these for patients over a certain age because potentially there is higher risk. I would also argue that most of these meds weren't studied on that patient population. That's a big key issue.

We talk about studies, but studies and data don't, they're not made equal, right? There's the clinical trials where you have a very specific subset of patients, like only patients from this age range, no pregnant patients, no patients on this list of medications, no patients with this list of problems, but only patients with this list of problems.

We talk about studies, but studies and data don't, they're not made equal, right? There's the clinical trials where you have a very specific subset of patients, like only patients from this age range, no pregnant patients, no patients on this list of medications, no patients with this list of problems, but only patients with this list of problems.

Like it's very narrow and the drug companies are motivated to make sure it's the patient population that's most likely to show really great results, right? They're not trying to get some Joe Schmoe off the street who like may or may not care about their weight. Like they're really going for people where we're hopefully going to see really good weight loss off these people.

Like it's very narrow and the drug companies are motivated to make sure it's the patient population that's most likely to show really great results, right? They're not trying to get some Joe Schmoe off the street who like may or may not care about their weight. Like they're really going for people where we're hopefully going to see really good weight loss off these people.

So then you have post-marketing data and that's once a drug hits the market and you have the general population taking it and you have prescribers prescribing it to not just the very specific study group subset, what are we seeing? And that's where we're seeing a lot more side effects. There's like gastroparesis is a really big one where your GI tract basically gets paralyzed, which is horrible.

So then you have post-marketing data and that's once a drug hits the market and you have the general population taking it and you have prescribers prescribing it to not just the very specific study group subset, what are we seeing? And that's where we're seeing a lot more side effects. There's like gastroparesis is a really big one where your GI tract basically gets paralyzed, which is horrible.

There's potentially issues with the pancreas, potentially issues with the thyroid. That data is still very weak because, again, these injectables are quite new. So we don't have long-term data on, you know, Ozempic and Moonjara right now because they're they're pretty new to the market. So I would say the older you are, the more likely you are to have certain types of GI issues.

There's potentially issues with the pancreas, potentially issues with the thyroid. That data is still very weak because, again, these injectables are quite new. So we don't have long-term data on, you know, Ozempic and Moonjara right now because they're they're pretty new to the market. So I would say the older you are, the more likely you are to have certain types of GI issues.

And also I would be worried if somebody is already on a lot more medications, which the older you are statistically, the more medications you'll be on. So there's confounding factors. There's various reasons why someone who's older may be at a higher risk of side effects with these medications. So just logicking my way through it, that's what I would say.

And also I would be worried if somebody is already on a lot more medications, which the older you are statistically, the more medications you'll be on. So there's confounding factors. There's various reasons why someone who's older may be at a higher risk of side effects with these medications. So just logicking my way through it, that's what I would say.

But I haven't seen the hard data stratifying different age groups.

But I haven't seen the hard data stratifying different age groups.

Yeah, so that's a really big question. point of discussion when it comes to these meds. And I have a maybe slightly different view than some would. I think the concept that these are forever drugs is oversimplified. I think for a small number of people, these might have to be forever meds. And when I'm saying these, I'm talking strictly the weight loss ones.

Yeah, so that's a really big question. point of discussion when it comes to these meds. And I have a maybe slightly different view than some would. I think the concept that these are forever drugs is oversimplified. I think for a small number of people, these might have to be forever meds. And when I'm saying these, I'm talking strictly the weight loss ones.

Because there are diabetics who I have absolutely no qualms about certain diabetic patients being on Ozempic or Victoza or whatever for the long haul to control their blood sugar. I'm speaking strictly for people who do not have blood sugar issues but want weight loss.

Because there are diabetics who I have absolutely no qualms about certain diabetic patients being on Ozempic or Victoza or whatever for the long haul to control their blood sugar. I'm speaking strictly for people who do not have blood sugar issues but want weight loss.

I think these drugs for people where they're clinically appropriate to use and clinically safe to use can be an excellent stepping stone. towards long-term maintained weight loss without lifelong use. And my example would be one of my patients who was in a wheelchair for a really, really long time and was using, they had like diabetes as well.

I think these drugs for people where they're clinically appropriate to use and clinically safe to use can be an excellent stepping stone. towards long-term maintained weight loss without lifelong use. And my example would be one of my patients who was in a wheelchair for a really, really long time and was using, they had like diabetes as well.