Approved Weight Loss Drugs: What Works, What’s Legal, and What You Need to Know

When you hear approved weight loss drugs, medications cleared by health authorities for treating obesity and helping people lose weight safely. Also known as anti-obesity medications, these are not magic pills—they’re tools used alongside diet, movement, and behavior changes to help your body reset its weight set point. In India, access to these drugs has changed fast. What was once hard to find or only available through black-market channels is now being prescribed legally by trained doctors, especially as newer options like semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist originally developed for type 2 diabetes that also triggers significant weight loss become more common.

The biggest shift? Ozempic, a brand name for semaglutide used at lower doses for diabetes, is now being prescribed off-label for weight loss—and it’s often cheaper than Wegovy, the same drug, but approved specifically for weight loss at higher doses. Many people don’t realize Ozempic and Wegovy contain the exact same active ingredient. The difference is just the dosage and the price tag. In India, doctors are increasingly turning to Ozempic because it’s more affordable and just as effective for weight loss when used properly. But it’s not a free-for-all. These drugs require a prescription, regular monitoring, and they’re not safe for everyone. People with a history of thyroid cancer, pancreatitis, or certain gut disorders are usually advised against them.

It’s not just about the drugs themselves—it’s about who can prescribe them and how they’re used. Only licensed physicians, especially those trained in endocrinology or obesity medicine, should be prescribing these. Online pharmacies that sell them without a prescription are risky and often illegal. The real win comes when these drugs are part of a longer plan: better sleep, less stress, consistent eating patterns, and movement that fits your life. That’s why the posts below cover everything from how to get these medications safely in India, to what to expect when you start, to how they compare with older options like metformin. You’ll also find real talk about what weight loss actually looks like with these drugs—not the before-and-after ads, but the slow, steady progress most people experience over months, not weeks.

What Weight Loss Medications Are Approved by Express Scripts in 2025?

Express Scripts covers several FDA-approved weight loss drugs like Wegovy, Saxenda, and Qsymia in 2025 - but only with medical documentation and prior authorization. Here's what's covered, what's not, and how to get approved.

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