STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Medicare and obesity drugs, Germany’s pricing plans, and more

Medicare will offer weight loss drugs to adults aged 65 and older starting next month through a temporary government program, STAT reports. While Medicare is legally barred from covering obesity drugs, the Trump administration is enabling access via a demonstration program. Initially, Medicare intended for private insurers to cover these drugs voluntarily through a three-year initiative named Balance, set to commence after a brief transition. However, insurers declined, leading the government to extend the transitional coverage program, known as Bridge, until the end of 2025. Separately, Novo Nordisk's chief executive officer, Mike Doustdar, stated that the company intends to seek Chinese regulatory approval for its Wegovy weight loss drug "very soon." This move aims to compete with Eli Lilly in China, the world's second-largest pharmaceutical market. The patent for semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's popular Wegovy and Ozempic medications, expired in China in March.