Drugmaker takes stand against using popular drugs for ‘cosmetic weight loss’

Drugmaker Eli Lilly is taking a stand against the use of two of its popular medications – Mounjaro and Zepbound – for “cosmetic weight loss.”

In an open letter released Thursday, the company said, in part, “Mounjaro and Zepbound are indicated for the treatment of serious diseases; they are not approved for – and should not be used for – cosmetic weight loss.”

The letter also declared that “Mounjaro and Zepbound should only be used when prescribed by a licensed healthcare professional.”

Some experts are warning against the use of drugs like Mounjaro and Zepbound, which were created to improve blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes, or help with weight loss for those with weight-related medical conditions for whom the use isn’t medically necessary.

“People are using these drugs because they've just wanted lose an extra 10 to 15 pounds,” Dr. Veronica Johnson, an obesity medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine, told “Good Morning America.” “People who don't meet the FDA-approved criteria for these medications may be putting themselves at harm because their medications have not been tested in people who have a normal BMI [body mass index] and don't have any other weight-related conditions.”

Lilly said Mounjaro is meant to be used to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus, while Zepbound should be used by adults with obesity or people who are overweight and have at least one additional weight-related condition, such as cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, or type 2 diabetes. The company also said both drugs need to be used in combination with a healthy diet and exercise.

The use of Mounjaro and Zepbound has exploded over the last year with a wide range of people, from celebrities and everyday social media users, who tout what they say are the lifechanging effects of sustained weight loss while on the medications.

Among the supporters is 23-year-old Haleigh Weaver, who said although she wasn’t considered medically obese, her doctor felt serious weight gain could be in her future and first prescribed her Mounjaro, and later switched her to semaglutide.

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in the drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, both manufactured by Novo Nordisk, which also were created to manage type 2 diabetes and related conditions and which some doctors similarly prescribe for weight loss. Wegovy, however, has been approved by the Food and Drug administration for use in chronic weight management.

“Senior year, I realized that I had unfortunately gained 30 pounds from college. So I was just tired of feeling sluggish all the time. You know, I didn't have that energy and I was super insecure,” Weaver recounted to “GMA.”

Weaver said she lost weight while taking the medications and now takes what she calls a maintenance dose to help keep the weight off.

“Mentally, I've gained so much from it, to like, the confidence that I have now compared to how I used it, it's just night-and-day difference,” Weaver said.

But doctors urge those taking such medications for cosmetic reasons to think about what the long-term results may be.

“The clinical trials right now show that if patients stop the medication that they can regain the weight,” Johnson said. “We don't know if a patient can maintain their weight on a lower dose of the medication.”