The most effective anti-obesity medicines available are orlistat (Xenical), phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia), lorcaserin (Belviq), bupropion-naltrexone (Contrave), Liraglutide (Saxenda) and Semaglutide (Wegovy) and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro).
Anti-obesity medicines help people with obesity lose weight and keep it off. New drugs like Semaglutide (Wegovy) and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) can help people lose 10-20 % of their weight. They also help control glucose and reduce heart disease, blood pressure, sleep apnea, fatty liver, and heart failure associated with obesity.
These drugs should only be used under the supervision of a doctor with expertise in treating people with obesity. They will always be a part of a weight management regime that includes appropriate diet, physical activity and behavioural changes.
Dr Mathew John MD, DM