Eli Lilly's weight-loss pill Foundayo has won approval in the United Kingdom, giving the company a new front in its competition with Novo Nordisk's Wegovy. The approval means UK patients will soon have another GLP-1 option beyond injections, which matters if you have been waiting for a pill form. Meanwhile, a new Medicare program meant to widen access may end up doing the opposite. And two well-known women shared their own experiences with these drugs this week.
Foundayo's approval in the U.K. extends a rivalry that has largely played out in the United States until now. Lilly and Novo Nordisk have competed for market share with injectable drugs, and this approval signals that the fight will continue with oral options as well. For patients outside the U.S., this could mean more choices arriving sooner than expected. If you are following the GLP-1 market for signs of where treatment is headed, this approval is worth watching, since it suggests pill forms are becoming a real part of the competitive picture rather than a future possibility.
Medicare's Bridge program was designed to help more people access GLP-1 drugs, but the added paperwork and coordination it requires from doctors could work against that goal. Primary care physicians already manage heavy caseloads, and a more complex enrollment or approval process may discourage some from prescribing these medications at all. This means the program's good intentions could be undercut by its own structure. If you rely on Medicare and are hoping to start or continue a GLP-1 prescription, I would suggest asking your doctor directly whether this program affects your access, since the answer may vary by practice.
Chrissy Metz, known for her role on "This Is Us," gave fans a candid update on her weight-loss progress after revealing she had started using a GLP-1 medication. She did not present the update as a finished success story, but as an honest look at where she stands so far. This kind of openness matters because it gives other people considering these medications a realistic picture rather than a polished before-and-after. Her willingness to share the details, rather than just the outcome, offers a useful reference point for readers weighing their own decisions.
Rosie O'Donnell said that losing weight had been difficult for her for years, even during periods when she was actively trying. She credited Mounjaro with helping her succeed where earlier efforts had not, and said she has never felt better. Her account adds to a growing list of public figures describing GLP-1 medications as effective after other methods fell short. For readers who have tried multiple approaches without lasting results, her experience may be a reason to ask a doctor whether a GLP-1 is worth discussing, though what works for one person will not necessarily work the same way for another.
Chrissy Metz explained that she decided to try a GLP-1 medication after entering perimenopause and reflecting on her family's history with obesity. That combination of a hormonal life stage and a family pattern led her to reconsider treatments she had been skeptical about before. Her reasoning shows that the decision to start a GLP-1 often comes from weighing personal health history alongside present circumstances, rather than a single factor. For readers with a similar family history or going through perimenopause themselves, her explanation may offer a useful example of how to think through the decision, though any choice should be made with a doctor familiar with your own health history.
Taken together, this week's news shows a market that is expanding in options while facing real questions about access. Foundayo's U.K. approval and the ongoing rivalry with Wegovy suggest more choices are coming, but the Medicare Bridge program is a reminder that availability on paper does not always translate to ease of access in practice. The personal accounts from Chrissy Metz and Rosie O'Donnell add useful, grounded perspective to that larger picture, showing both the process and the results some people experience. If you are considering a GLP-1 medication, I would suggest using these stories as context for a conversation with your own doctor, rather than as a guide for what to expect yourself.
Key details
Eli Lilly's Foundayo pill won U.K. approval, extending its rivalry with Wegovy.
Medicare's Bridge program could limit GLP-1 access due to added complexity for doctors.
Chrissy Metz shared an honest update on her weight-loss progress after starting a GLP-1.
Rosie O'Donnell says Mounjaro helped her lose weight after years of struggling to do so.
Chrissy Metz tried a GLP-1 after perimenopause, citing her family's obesity history.
Sources
Primary care may struggle with Medicare weight loss drug program — STAT
Chrissy Metz gives candid 'progress report' after GLP-1 announcement — Page Six
Rosie O'Donnell Says Mounjaro Is Part of Why She's 'Never Felt Better' — Business Insider
Chrissy Metz says GLP-1 helped her health after years of skepticism — Fox News