Costco to Sell Popular Weight-Loss Drugs Ozempic and Wegovy

Costco is adding prescription-only Ozempic and Wegovy pens to more than 500 of its US pharmacies, according to Novo Nordisk. Members who pay out of pocket will be charged $499 for a four-week supply, the same cash price Novo already offers through its direct site, CVS, and Walmart. The deal makes the retailer another access point, not a new kind of medicine or a change to who needs a prescription.

The $499 figure matters because it is lower than the stated list prices, but it is not a universal price. Members using insurance will still face the rules of their own plan, and many plans continue to deny coverage for these drugs. A warehouse counter can make a product easier to find without settling the larger questions of eligibility, affordability, and ongoing care.

The timing is part of the business story. Novo has been under pressure from cheaper copycat versions and from Eli Lilly's competing weight-loss drug, Zepbound. The company had already cut the cash price of Wegovy for some people and was seeking new retail channels while its share price and growth outlook weakened.

For readers, the clearest takeaway is about the changing map of access. These drugs are moving from specialist and direct-to-consumer channels into familiar pharmacy networks, but that does not turn them into an ordinary grocery purchase. They remain prescription medicines, and the practical decision still runs through a clinician, coverage rules, and an individual's situation.

Read the full story at The New York Times ↗

Retatrutide is investigational and is not FDA-approved. Other medicines referenced here are covered as third-party news for educational awareness only. Catalyst does not present this information as medical advice, treatment guidance, or a claim of safety, efficacy, or approval.