Inside the weight loss drug boom

Americans have a new hunger for weight loss drugs — but at what cost?

A third of Americans in need of weight loss have an appetite for prescription pills or injections to help with weight loss. But do they work? Are there hidden side effects?

Scripps News investigates semaglutides, a class of drugs used for weight loss which millions of Americans have started taking in the past few years.

Nearly 3 in 4 Americans over the age of 20 are classified as either overweight or obese, and a growing number are warming up to the idea that prescription drugs may be the answer.

Nearly 1 in 3 Americans who think they need to lose weight are open to using these prescriptions.

Some of these drugs are approved for weight loss, while others are not FDA-approved for the purpose but nay be prescribed off-label.

Scripps News breaks down the dollar costs of these drugs, examines their safety and efficacy, and investigates the underground markets for their resale.