High demand for weight-loss and diabetes drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy has led to a shortage in manufacturing. In the meantime, a market for cheaper, compounded drugs thrives.

One of the researchers described the circumstances that led to the discovery as “serendipity.” This year’s prestigious Lasker medical awards recognize a trio of scientists without whom Ozempic and other blockbuster weight-loss drugs might not exist.

F ROM LOS ANGELES to London, weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic are reshaping culture as much as waistlines. Some Ozempic-takers have tiny appetites and dine at unusual hours to avoid spells of nausea.

Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are offering discounts to encourage more insurance coverage of the medicines, which carry price tags of over $1,000 a month.

Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic are booming in popularity, but experts warn they aren't silver bullets for obesity.