Key facts
- Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly's weight-loss drugs are available in Mexico.
- Patients often opt for older, less effective therapies due to the high cost of newer drugs.
- Cost is a significant barrier to the adoption of advanced obesity treatments in Mexico.
In Chihuahua, Mexico, patients seeking to lose weight have access to cutting-edge treatments from pharmaceutical giants Novo Nordisk A/S and Eli Lilly & Co. However, according to Dr. Juan Manuel Esparza Luna, many patients ultimately receive prescriptions for older, less effective therapies. The primary reason cited for this choice is the prohibitive cost associated with the newer, more potent weight-loss medications. This situation underscores a critical challenge for these blockbuster drugs as their manufacturers look beyond the United States for significant growth, encountering economic barriers in key international markets.