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Cancer prevention in the esophagus could be just a pill away, doctor says: ‘Tremendous benefit’

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Cancer prevention in the esophagus could be just a pill away, doctor says: ‘Tremendous benefit’

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A vitamin-sized pill could be the future of esophageal cancer prevention.

Cancer of the esophagus — the muscular tube that moves food from the mouth into the stomach — has just a 20% five-year survival rate. Yet there are no standard or routine screening tests for the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

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Lucid Diagnostics, a New York-based biotech company, is looking to change that with its newly developed test, which only requires taking a single, vitamin-sized pill.

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Fox News Digital spoke with Lishan Aklog, M.D., chairman and CEO of Lucid, about how the test, called the EsoGuard, could offer a new line of defense against a cancer that has flown “under the radar” in terms of screening.

“For the more common breast, cancer and lung cancers, early detection programs like mammography, colonoscopy and PAP testing have decreased the mortality rates by about 50% over the last couple of decades — so we know early detection works,” he said. “But there are other cancers that we don’t talk about as frequently, but are extremely deadly.”

Lucid Diagnostics, a New York-based biotech company, has created an esophageal cancer screening test that only requires taking a single, vitamin-sized pill. (Lucid Diagnostics)

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The three deadliest are all cancers of the gastrointestinal system, Aklog noted — pancreatic, esophageal and liver.

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“All three of them are effectively a death sentence, and we don’t think about these as much.”

With the new technology behind EsoGuard, Aklog hopes to offer a new routine screening for esophageal cancer and prevent deaths. 

Cancer prevention rather than detection

With other types of cancers, such as colon and breast, detecting the disease early in the first stage is a “victory,” Aklog said, because it comes with about a 90% cure rate.

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“But it’s not really a victory to pick up stage one esophageal cancer,” he said. 

“The mortality rate for even stage one esophageal cancer is awful. It’s one of the cancers that you have to pick up in the precancerous stage in order to do the appropriate interventions and surveillance, so you actually can prevent cancer.”

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EsoGuard is designed to detect GERD — gastroesophageal reflux disease — which is known to be a risk factor for the development of esophageal cancer.

“There is a direct link that’s not very widely known between chronic reflux, chronic heartburn and cancer,” Aklog said.

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“When you have fluid in the stomach, acid makes its way into the lower esophagus, where it doesn’t belong,” he went on. “That causes cellular changes that can eventually evolve into full-blown cancer.”

The sample is sent to the central laboratory for analysis, after which the patient gets a positive or negative result.  (Lucid Diagnostics)

Although anyone can benefit from the test, Aklog said, it is most important for people who have at least three of the six main risk factors.

Those at the highest risk include people with chronic heartburn, obesity, family history and a history of smoking

Those who are male, White and 50 years or older are also more likely to develop this type of cancer.

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“There is a direct link that’s not very widely known between chronic reflux, chronic heartburn and cancer.”

Last year, Lucid partnered with the San Antonio Fire Department to screen firefighters, who have a 62% higher risk of developing esophageal cancer.

“In two weekends, we tested more than 400 firefighters, and we identified precancerous conditions in a number of them,” Aklog said.

Deputy Fire Chief Darin Wallentine of the Sarasota County Fire Department said he looks forward to starting regular screenings.

EsoGuard is designed to detect GERD — gastroesophageal reflux disease — which is known to be a risk factor for the development of esophageal cancer. (iStock)

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“Any additional cancer screening is a tremendous benefit to the fire service,” he told Fox News Digital. “Catching a pre-cancer or early-stage cancer is an opportunity for a firefighter to maintain their career and … live a long and healthy life following a career of public service.”

He added, “It’s all about catching cancer early and not finding it when it’s too late.”

Simply treating heartburn symptoms won’t help reduce the risk, Aklog noted.

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“We have pretty good medications that treat the symptoms of heartburn — but they don’t treat the mechanical problem of the sloshing of fluid into the lower esophagus, even though the pain is not there.”

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“Even if symptoms are well-controlled or even eliminated with these over-the-counter medications, behind the scenes the abnormalities in the esophagus are continuing and can progress to cancer,” he warned.

Cancer of the esophagus — the muscular tube that moves food from the mouth into the stomach — has just a 20% five-year survival rate. (iStock)

Only about 5% of the highest-risk population are currently getting tested, Aklog noted.

“It’s a huge opportunity to have a big impact on cancer deaths.”

How EsoGuard works

The precancerous condition occurs in a small two-inch patch in the lowest part of the esophagus, or the food tube just above the juncture with the stomach, Aklog said.

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The goal is to collect cells from that area and then perform molecular diagnostic testing that can identify genetic changes very early.

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“It’s really groundbreaking science that allows scientists to pick up these very subtle changes in the earliest precancerous stage, before the abnormalities and mutations that typically come with cancer,” Aklog said.

The test has an 85% sensitivity and a 99% predictive value, he told Fox News Digital.

Historically, the only way to gather the cells was to do an endoscopy, an invasive test that requires anesthesia and sedation.

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A malignant tumor is shown in the human esophagus. Only about 5% of the highest-risk population are currently getting tested for this type of cancer. (iStock)

“With EsoGuard, we can collect these cells in an office setting in less than two minutes, typically without anesthesia or any kind of sedation,” Aklog said.

“You just swallow this little capsule that’s attached to a little, floppy catheter — a balloon-like device — and within two minutes, the cells are collected in a very targeted way.”

“In two weekends, we tested more than 400 firefighters, and we identified precancerous conditions in a number of them.”

The sample is sent to the central laboratory for analysis, after which the patient gets a positive or negative result. 

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“If it’s negative, they can feel comfortable that they don’t have the precancer, but if the underlying reflux continues, recent data would suggest that they undergo repeat testing every four to five years,” said Aklog.

If it’s a positive result, that means the patient has some degree of a precancerous condition.

Last year, Lucid partnered with the San Antonio Fire Department (not pictured) to screen firefighters, who have a 62% higher risk of developing esophageal cancer. (iStock)

“If it’s early precancer, they must undergo close monitoring with a follow-up endoscopy every three years to pick up the progression to late precancer, which is treated to prevent progression to cancer,” Aklog said. 

If it’s a later-stage precancer, the patient would get treatment via endoscopy to eliminate the abnormal cells and prevent them from developing into cancer, he said.

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Doctors share insight

Dr. Bruce Greenwald, a leading gastroenterologist at the Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of Maryland Medical Center, was not involved in the EsoGuard development but commented on its effectiveness.

“Esoguard detects a precancerous condition called Barrett’s esophagus, which is a known risk factor for esophageal cancer,” he told Fox News Digital. 

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“If Barrett’s esophagus is found, then that individual can be followed with endoscopy, and interventions can be taken before Barrett’s esophagus becomes cancerous.”

Greenwald noted that while many people have GERD, esophageal cancer is relatively uncommon.

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“Currently, those with GERD and the highest risk of esophageal cancer are White obese men,” he said. “Other groups also carry risk, but to a lesser degree.”

“A minimally invasive test like Esoguard could identify those at risk for esophageal cancer before it appears.”

“Currently, those with GERD and the highest risk of esophageal cancer are White obese men,” according to a gastroenterologist. (iStock)

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, was not involved in Lucid’s test development but commented on its potential.

“It is an office procedure that takes five minutes and has over 90% accuracy,” he told Fox News Digital.

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“You simply lower a pill into the stomach and pull it back out.”

“It is very useful as an intermediate step for those with chronic reflux, who could have a change in the esophagus that is a precursor of esophageal cancer,” he went on.

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, was not involved in Lucid’s test development but commented on its potential. (Fox News)

“This is especially important as we get older and the risks increase.”

Siegel noted that some people are afraid of getting an “invasive” endoscopy.

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“This test is an intermediate, highly accurate step to help in assessing the risk and deciding whether you need an endoscopy or not,” the doctor said. 

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EsoGuard is now available in many major states, Aklog said.

“We’ve already done tens of thousands of tests, and physicians are embracing and adopting it for their patients,” he noted. “We have numerous examples of patients in whom we’ve picked up the latest stage of precancer, so we’re making an impact.”

The final steps in the process will involve getting insurance coverage, which is currently in the works.

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Historically, the only way to gather cells for testing was to do an endoscopy, an invasive test that requires anesthesia and sedation. (iStock)

The EsoGuard has proven to be a “safe and simple” test, Aklog said.

“There have been tens of thousands of tests performed with no complications,” he said. “It’s just basically a swab of the lower part of the food tube.”

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The only caveat is that there have been a small number of false negatives and false positives, he pointed out. 

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Greenwald agreed that the risk of a complication from EsoGuard seems to be low. 

“The test does require swallowing a catheter, which can be uncomfortable,” he said. 

“Identifying Barrett’s esophagus could cause anxiety about getting cancer, but most people with the condition never develop cancer,” he said. 

While there have been some previous efforts to develop esophageal cancer screening methods, Aklog said they have not been as “gentle” or accurate as EsoGuard.

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“This is the first one that’s been successful and accurate enough to play a role in a widespread early detection program.”

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Is Skipping Breakfast Bad? The Weight-Loss Truth May Surprise You

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Is Skipping Breakfast Bad? The Weight-Loss Truth May Surprise You


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What killed Americans in 1776? The answer is dramatically different from today

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What killed Americans in 1776? The answer is dramatically different from today

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The leading causes of death have changed dramatically since America’s founding 250 years ago, highlighting how far medicine has come.

Diseases that once devastated communities have largely given way to chronic conditions, data shows, reflecting centuries of breakthroughs in public health, prevention and treatment.

“The amount of changes that have happened over the past 250 years are immeasurable when it comes to life expectancy and disease,” Kenneth J. Perry, M.D., an emergency physician in Charleston, South Carolina, told Fox News Digital.

5 OF AMERICA’S GREATEST MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS REVEALED AS THE NATION MARKS 250 YEARS

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“Our life expectancy as a country increased from roughly 30 years at the time of the country’s founding to close to 80 years today.”

Check out the following details.

An illustration of an 18th century hospital. The leading causes of death have changed dramatically since America’s founding 250 years ago. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

What killed Americans in 1776?

Although there were no official national mortality records in 1776, historians agree that the following illnesses were responsible for the largest number of deaths.

  • Smallpox: This viral disease, which causes fever and a blistering rash, had about a 30% fatality rate before the first vaccine became available in 1796. Historians estimate the North American epidemic killed at least 100,000 to 130,000 people over several years.
  • Tuberculosis: Also known as consumption, this bacterial infection primarily attacks the lungs. It was one of the leading chronic causes of adult death in the colonies, according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM).
  • Pneumonia: A lung infection that fills air sacs with fluid or pus, pneumonia was frequently fatal in 1776 because no antibiotics or effective treatments existed, per the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
  • Dysentery and diarrheal diseases: Intestinal infections, which caused severe diarrhea and dehydration, were common in 1776 because of poor sanitation and contaminated food and water, especially in military camps, per NIH and NLM.
  • Malaria: This mosquito-borne parasitic disease causes recurrent fever and chills. It was endemic throughout much of the Southern colonies, the CDC states.
  • Yellow fever: A mosquito-borne viral disease, yellow fever can cause liver failure and bleeding. Periodic epidemics struck colonial port cities in the late 1700s, NLM records show.
  • Typhoid fever: This bacterial infection spreads through contaminated food and water. Recurring outbreaks were common in places where sanitation was poor, historians confirm.
  • Childbirth complications: Maternal deaths from hemorrhage, infection or obstructed labor were common in 1776. This was a major cause of death among women of childbearing age, the NLM states.
  • Wound infections: In colonial times, cuts or injuries often led to bacterial infections. These could prove fatal because antisepsis therapies, germ theory and antibiotics did not yet exist.
  • Infant mortality: It was extremely common for children to die before age 1, with roughly 10% to 30% of infants not living to their first birthday in many colonial communities, historical records show.

These conditions had much higher fatality rates in 1776 because Americans had no antibiotics, few vaccines, no understanding of germ theory, no sterile surgical techniques and limited access to hospitals, experts note.

Yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, 1793. Carriages rumbled through the streets to pick up the dying and the dead. (Getty Images)

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There was also a lack of safe drinking water, modern sewage systems and refrigeration — making it more likely for foodborne and waterborne illnesses to spread.

Patients also did not yet have access to blood transfusions, anesthesia and other lifesaving medical advances, according to the CDC, NLM and NIH.

Common causes of death in the 1900s

The first official national mortality statistics were published by the U.S. Census Bureau in 1900.

The data points to the following leading causes of death in the 1900s.

  • Influenza & pneumonia: Viral flu and bacterial/viral lung infections were responsible for about 40,000 to 65,000 deaths per year during the period between 1900 and 1910, according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
  • Tuberculosis: The bacteria lung infection claimed about 35,000 to 40,000 lives per year during that same time frame, per the above source.
  • Diarrhea/enteritis: Intestinal infections causing severe dehydration led to approximately 25,000 to 35,000 annual deaths between 1900 and 1910.
  • Heart disease: Diseases affecting the heart and circulatory system killed between 27,000 and 40,000 Americans per year in this time frame, according to NCHS.
  • Stroke: Strokes, which interrupt the flow of blood to the brain, took between 20,000 and 30,000 lives annually.
  • Kidney disease: Diseases that impair kidney function (also called nephritis), killed between 17,000 and 25,000 people in the U.S. each year, data shows.
  • Accidents: Between 15,000 and 22,000 Americans died each year from unintentional injuries at work, home and in transportation, per NCHS.
  • Cancer: Various types of cancer, in which malignant tumors invade surrounding tissues, contributed to between 13,000 and 20,000 deaths annually in this time frame.
  • Senility: This was a historical diagnosis for deaths attributed to old age in the early 1900s. It was listed as the cause of death for about 12,000 to 18,000 people per year.
  • Diphtheria: The bacterial throat infection, which can block the airway, led to 8,000 to 12,000 deaths per year, mortality data highlights.

Nearly one-third of all deaths were caused by pneumonia, tuberculosis and diarrheal diseases, and about 30% of all deaths occurred in children younger than age 5, records show.

A diphtheria vaccination is administered in the 1900s in this illustration. (Getty Images)

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Medical breakthroughs that transformed survival

The introduction of vaccines dramatically reduced certain diseases, including smallpox, polio, diphtheria, measles and whooping cough. 

In 1980, smallpox became the first human disease ever eradicated worldwide.

The introduction of vaccines dramatically reduced certain diseases, including smallpox, polio, diphtheria, measles and whooping cough. (iStock)

Improvements in clean water and sanitation also contributed to greater longevity, as cities built sewage systems, water treatment plants and indoor plumbing, according to the CDC. As a result, deaths from cholera, dysentery and typhoid fever fell dramatically.

Germ theory also emerged in the late 1800s, in which scientists discovered that germs caused disease. This led to vast transformations in surgery, childbirth, handwashing, sterilization and infection control, per NIH and the Science History Institute.

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In the 1940s, the widespread use of penicillin allowed for the treatment of diseases that were once fatal.

Routine screening has enabled earlier detection of breast, cervical and colorectal cancers, while improvements in surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapies and immunotherapy have helped many patients live longer.

A recent analysis by the National Cancer Institute found that prevention and screening accounted for about 80% of the cancer deaths averted over the past 45 years for five major cancer types.

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In the 1940s, the widespread use of penicillin allowed for the treatment of diseases that were once fatal, including pneumonia, strep infections, wound infections and sepsis.

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Advances in childbirth — including prenatal care, Cesarean sections, blood transfusions, antibiotics and neonatal intensive care — also dramatically improved maternal and infant survival compared with colonial America.

The use of CPR, defibrillators, coronary care units, bypass surgery, stents, statins and blood pressure medications helped to reduce cardiovascular deaths. (iStock)

The mid-20th century also ushered in improvements in heart disease treatments. The use of CPR, defibrillators, coronary care units, bypass surgery, stents, statins and blood pressure medications helped to reduce cardiovascular deaths, according to the American Heart Association.

What’s killing Americans today?

In a vast contrast to 1776, chronic diseases now account for most American deaths, because people generally live long enough to develop them.

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Current U.S. health data indicates that the following conditions are now the leading causes of death.

  • Heart disease: Disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels, including coronary artery disease and heart attacks, killed more than 638,000 Americans in 2024, according to NCHS data.
  • Cancer: Approximately 619,876 people died of cancer in the U.S. in 2024.
  • Unintentional injuries: Accidental deaths, including drug overdoses, motor vehicle crashes and falls, were the causes of more than 197,440 deaths that same year, records show.
  • Stroke: Interruption of blood flow to the brain, which causes brain damage, claimed 166,852 American lives in 2024, per NCHS.
  • Chronic lower respiratory disease: Long-term lung diseases — such as COPD, emphysema and chronic bronchitis — killed 145,643 people in the U.S. that year.
  • Alzheimer’s disease: The most common type of dementia, which destroys memory and cognitive function, was responsible for 116,022 deaths in 2024, NCHS data shows.
  • Diabetes: The chronic disease, which impairs the body’s ability to properly regulate blood sugar, contributed to 94,445 deaths that year.
  • Kidney disease: Diseases that damage the kidneys and impair their ability to filter blood were blamed for 55,081 deaths in 2024.
  • Chronic liver disease/cirrhosis: Progressive liver damage caused by conditions such as hepatitis, alcohol misuse or fatty liver disease were responsible for 52,274 deaths that year, per NCHS.
  • Suicide: Death caused by intentional self-harm claimed 48,824 lives in 2024. (If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).)

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“The transformation of deaths in the last 250 years, largely from infectious diseases to currently chronic debilitating diseases, represents both success and new challenges Americans will have to face,” Dr. Omer Awan, a physician and professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, told Fox News Digital.

“The chronic disease epidemic has been fueled by a lack of exercise, as well as by diets rich in fats, salts and ultraprocessed foods,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)

The uptick in chronic diseases is driven not only by an increasingly aging population, but by people’s lifestyle behaviors, according to the doctor.

“The chronic disease epidemic has been fueled by lack of exercise, as well as diets rich in fats, salts and ultraprocessed foods,” he told Fox News Digital. “This has also led to the rise of obesity, which contributes to many of the chronic medical conditions that are among the top killers for Americans in the modern era.”

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Public health advances can change the course of health for millions of Americans, Awan said.

“Just as vaccines and antibiotics prolonged life centuries ago, so can lifestyle changes, exercise and new therapies that target obesity — like GLP-1 drugs and medications that promote better metabolic health.”

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Big Medicare change slashes weight-loss drug costs for eligible seniors

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Big Medicare change slashes weight-loss drug costs for eligible seniors

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Millions of Medicare beneficiaries struggling with obesity could soon see the cost of weight-loss drugs plummet, as a new federal pilot program launching July 1 expands access to GLP-1 medications like Wegovy and Zepbound for eligible seniors.

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Through a new trial called Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, the federal government is now offering a selection of the brand-name medications to certain Medicare and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries for $50 a month, The Associated Press reported.

The covered medications include drugmaker Eli Lilly’s Foundayo tablets and Zepbound KwikPens and Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy injections and tablets, all of which have been FDA-approved for weight loss, according to the report.

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The temporary program is set to run until the end of 2027.

This is the first time GLP-1s (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) will be covered by insurance when used solely for weight loss.

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A new federal pilot program launching July 1 expands access to GLP-1 medications like Wegovy and Zepbound for eligible seniors. (iStock)

Prior to this new Medicare pilot, seniors who wanted to access GLP-1s for obesity alone paid about $1,350-$1,650 per month for Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy (semaglutide) and about $1,086 monthly for Lilly’s Zepbound (tirzepatide). However, both manufacturers offered some cash-pay options that significantly reduced those prices for eligible patients.

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There are some parameters surrounding the coverage — older adults must have had a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher when they started GLP-1 therapy, or a BMI of 27 or higher alongside another health condition, such as a past heart attack or stroke or prediabetes.

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Those who already have insurance coverage for other diseases, such as diabetes and sleep apnea, are not eligible for the program.

Through a new trial called Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, the federal government is now offering a selection of the brand-name medications to certain Medicare and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries for $50 a month. (iStock)

There are more than 70 million Americans currently enrolled in Medicare, 10 million of whom are overweight or obese, according to Juliette Cubanski, vice president and director of the program on Medicare policy at the healthcare research nonprofit KFF.

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“For many older Americans living with obesity, this is a moment they and their families have been waiting for,” Jamey Millar, Novo Nordisk’s executive vice president of U.S. operations, said in a press release.

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“The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program offers a new, affordable path to an FDA-approved treatment that was previously not covered.”

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Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said he hopes the program can help his agency collect data to potentially work toward longer-term coverage, while providing immediate relief to cash-strapped older Americans, AP reported.

“The sheer cost of these medications is a huge barrier to access,” he said in a call with reporters. “That ends today.”

Prior to this new Medicare pilot, seniors who wanted to access GLP-1s for obesity alone paid about $1,350-$1,650 per month for Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy (semaglutide) and about $1,086 monthly for Lilly’s Zepbound (tirzepatide).  (iStock)

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Oz told reporters that CMS plans to “carefully track participation and outcomes” to see whether an extension of the Bridge program or another solution is the best way to move forward. He told AP a federal law permanently allowing the coverage is “not essential right now” but something “for Congress to debate amongst themselves.”

“We can’t decide what’s going to happen long term with Bridge until we see some of the data,” he said, adding that there are ongoing talks with drug companies to lower costs.

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One potential concern is that older patients tend to have more adverse effects to medication in general , according to Dr. Micah Eimer, a clinical assistant professor of cardiology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

“Specifically, in our research, older patients on blood pressure medications were more likely to experience hypotensive side effects, such as fainting and dizziness, after starting a GLP-1,” he said in a statement.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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