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14/Aug/2023

CNN – Citing “unprecedented demand,” drugmaker Novo Nordisk said Thursday it expects supply restrictions on starter doses of the weight loss medicine Wegovy to persist into 2024, several months beyond its previous prediction.

The company is prioritizing higher, or so-called maintenance, doses of the medicine so that patients who have already started taking Wegovy can continue to access the drug, Doug Langa, executive vice president of North America Operations, told CNN. Novo Nordisk had said in May it expected supply restrictions on lower doses to continue through September.

“We are going to continue to supply the market, but it’s just going to be on a limited form so we can have that continuity of care,” Langa said.

He emphasized “we’re still producing all strengths and we’re still supplying all strengths to the market.”

Supply has been constrained for many forms of medicines in a class known as GLP-1 agonists, which have rocketed in popularity as they produce greater magnitudes of weight loss than previously seen with older medicines. And new results this week of a landmark trial in people with cardiovascular disease showed Wegovy can reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, or heart-related death by 20%, bolstering expectations for wider use of the medicine and, potentially, broader insurance coverage.

Wegovy shares the same key ingredient, semaglutide, as Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, approved for type 2 diabetes. Langa said total weekly prescriptions of Ozempic in the US are now almost 500,000 — 200,000 higher than they were a year earlier — meaning half a million Americans have prescriptions for the drug.

“This pace of demand is challenging to keep up with,” he said.

For Wegovy, the figure is around 80,000, and had been as high as 100,000.

“Part of that is because we’re restricting some of those lower doses,” Langa said.

Competitor Eli Lilly is also having trouble meeting demand for its drug Mounjaro, approved for type 2 diabetes and awaiting clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration for weight loss. Its key ingredient, tirzepatide, targets both the hormone GLP-1 and another, called GIP.

“Supply will likely remain tight in the coming months and quarters due to significant demand,” Lilly’s chief financial officer, Anat Ashkenazi, said on the company’s quarterly earnings conference call Tuesday.

“Because we’re seeing really unprecedented demand, we do still expect to see tight supply and some spot outages on Mounjaro through the end of the year,” added Michael Mason, president of Lilly Diabetes.

Both Lilly and Novo Nordisk are investing heavily in increasing manufacturing to try to meet global demand for these medicines, contracting with outside manufacturers as well as building up their own plants.

“This is categorically the largest unmet need that I know of in life science,” Novo Nordisk’s Langa said, noting there are 120 million Americans who would qualify to take Wegovy based on having a body mass index of 30 or more, the category for obesity. The drug is also approved for people with BMI of 27, in the overweight category, and a weight-related health condition.

“We’re seeing this unprecedented demand,” Langa said. “We’re super happy to be able to be bringing something that is so meaningful.”



As Climate Week comes to an end, I would like to share some of the things I have learned over the past six months thanks to my daughter Julia and her increased involvement in preserving the environment. Not only was it a great excuse to spend time working on this article together, but we were able to collect categorized recommendations on how to alter everyday habits to better help the environment. While we are sure we have not covered everything, these tips are a great place to start.

Beauty Recommendations

  1. Use shampoo and conditioner bars. This will save on water, packaging and money since the bars last longer.  Some of the manufacturer’s include Lush (they will give you a free container of a face mask if you return 5 empty face mask containers!) Human Kind, Sterling Soap Company, Skin & Company, and Naples Soap Company.
  2. Use Safety Razors. These razors do not rust, are cost efficient, and are not plastic, therefore can eventually be recycled.
  3. Dental products. You can use Bamboo toothbrushes in place of plastic toothbrushes.  Tooth tabs can replace your toothpaste.  Biodegradable floss is also available.   If you are resourceful, you can make your own toothpaste, mouth wash, and deodorant.

Food

  1. Meatless Mondays. Cutting back on meat will contribute to less water waste and decreases your carbon footprint.
  2. Composting companies. There are entities that will pick up your compost (for a small monthly fee) or you can drop it off at a facility.  Two recommendations are Bennet Compost and Circle Compost.  Typically, there are composting areas located at Farmer’s Markets.
  3. Buying locally sourced foods and in season foods. This is healthy because there is not as much cost and carbon expense involved.  This also helps support local and often smaller businesses.
  4. Buy in bulk! This means that you can go to a local bulk store or Whole Foods (call ahead, not all of them have this option), whichever is more convenient.  Bring your own glass container or cloth produce bag, which can be an amazing way to stop using small plastic bags.  These containers can be used for cereal, vegetables, pasta, nuts, beans, etc.  If you are wondering what products can come in bulk, it is basically anything that a vegan could eat… grains, oils, candy, flour, and everything else I mentioned earlier! By doing this it cuts down one use plastic packaging.

Storage

  1. Water bottles. Metal water bottles are always the best option, because by using a single-use plastic water bottle, you are exposing yourself to microplastics that will contaminate the water by seeping into it. They are also extremely cost efficient. The average human spends over 1000 dollars on single-use plastic bottles per year, but you can change that by buying a good quality metal bottle that will last for an extremely long time.
  2. Bring your own supplies. I have to admit this takes getting used to. I remember being very surprised when I watched my daughter pull out a metal teaspoon from home so I would not use a plastic spoon supplied by the local ice cream vendor.   Bringing a reusable bag cuts down on needing to use a single-use plastic bag.   Other states and countries charge for supplying plastic bags, which is a good deterrent.  It has been nice to see stores supplies these reusable bags instead of paper or plastic bags.
  3. BUY GLASS/METAL. Seek out metal cans or foods stored in glass containers.  By buying items in these containers, you allow them to be recycled unlike buying the same product in a plastic container that will not biodegrade.

Miscellaneous:

  1. Earthhero is a good source for zero waste products. Like wax storage wrap, zero waste gum (it does not contain plastic and artificial ingredients like traditional gum) and bamboo or glass straws.
  2. Using the real stuff when you can. What I mean by this is, if you have access to silverware, glasses and plates, use them instead of plastic or paper plates.  Remember, paper plates have a plastic layer to keep them from breaking down easily, hence, not making them biodegradable.
  3. Using public transportation or carpooling whenever possible is an obvious way to cut down on our carbon footprint.
  4. Keep in mind that even when we recycle, these products needs to be stored or burned somewhere and this also contributes to pollution. Frequently, this takes place in poorer neighborhoods.  The goal is to have zero waste, so no one would be subject to extra pollution.

I would also like to recommend looking into joining some organizations that are helping to push these changes locally.  A group started by young activists is the Sunrise Movement and Philly Thrive is working to keep the pollution down by fighting to keep the local refinery closed.  Keep in mind, that any individual mindfulness is always going to be helpful, but the bigger changes need to come through industry changes, and we can be more successful as a group.



Getting an appropriate amount of restful sleep is important for a variety of reasons. Sleep effects our mental and cognitive function, our immune systems, and our general overall health. If we are not getting enough sleep, we may experience poor health outcomes including new or worsening anxiety and depression, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Adults should get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Unfortunately, about 1/3 of adults in the United States are not getting enough sleep.

There are many things that we can do to help improve our quality and duration of sleep. If you are struggling to get adequate sleep, try to incorporate at least a few of the following recommendations into your daily bedtime routine:

– Have a sleep schedule: Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same times each day.
– Avoid naps, especially later in the day.
– Limit caffeine during the day, especially within 4 to 6 hours of bedtime.
– Exercise daily: The current recommendations are to get 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise.
– Avoid using electronics at least 30 minutes before bed.
– Create a relaxing sleep environment: this may include a cool bedroom, blackout curtains or an eye mask, and a sound machine or ear plugs.
– If you wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble falling back asleep, go into a different room and participate in a relaxing activity until you feel drowsy enough to fall asleep again.



What comes to mind when somebody says the word “physical activity”? Do you think of the walk you took to get from the garage to work this morning? Or the stairs you climbed on your way out of the subway?  What about the word “exercise”? If this word provokes different thoughts I am not surprised. You might have visions of sweating it out in spin class and loving every second of it, or maybe you have a feeling of dread as you picture dragging yourself to the gym. In celebration of May’s National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, I want to tell you that physical activity is what matters! You might spend an hour in the gym, but what happens during the other 23 hours is crucial. Picture your typical day, you sit as you eat breakfast, you may sit as you commute to work, sit at a desk, sit at lunch, go to the gym for an hour, then sit at the dinner table or in front of the TV. Even athletes can be considered sedentary if their only physical activity is during the hours when they are exercising!

This month, challenge yourself to think about physical activity as a way of life. What errands can you run on foot today? If you have a phone call to make, can you do it while walking or pacing? If you are stuck at your desk for hours in a row, can you make a point to stand up and stretch every hour? Can you stretch while you watch TV at night?

If you need some motivation…

Here are some fun facts on how physical activity can help prevent or reduce health conditions:

High blood pressure: Two brisk 10-minute walks a day can help to prevent high blood pressure. Think of this like your daily dose of movement medicine. As you start your walk, your body sends blood that contains oxygen and energy to your muscles so that they can propel you forward. This rush of blood exerts pressure on your veins causing them to loosen slightly so that more blood can flow through. By asking your veins to loosen twice a day every day, you are preventing stiffness!

High blood sugar: After you eat a meal that is high in carbohydrates your body will digest those carbohydrates and turn them in to sugar which will stay in your blood stream until your cells take it up for energy. If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes this state of high blood sugar can make you feel pretty icky. Luckily, physical activity can help you to bring down your sugar. Going for a walk after a large meal can help your cells to take up the sugar and leave you feeling much better!



If you don’t have endometriosis, you’ve probably heard of it – it affects about one in ten women of reproductive age. Although the condition’s two main symptoms are pelvic pain and infertility, both are treatable, and women with endometriosis often go on to have healthy pregnancies.

If you are having pelvic pain or trouble getting pregnant then you should schedule an appointment with your practitioner and we can refer you, if necessary, to a specialist.

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a condition where cells from the endometrial lining implant and grow outside of the uterus (including on the ovaries, the pelvic cavity and the fallopian tubes), causing inflammation and scar tissue that can lead to pelvic pain and infertility.

What are the causes of endometriosis?

There are several potential causes, including:

  • Retrograde menstruation: During menstruation, while most of the blood and tissue flows out of the vagina, a small amount of blood and tissue travels up backwards through the uterus and fallopian tubes and into the pelvic cavity. In most women, the immune system gets rid of that blood and tissue. By contrast, the immune system of women with endometriosis is unable to fully eliminate the backflow. Therefore, tissue from the uterine cavity is able to stick to and invade areas outside of the uterus. This is the most common cause of endometriosis.
  • Blood or lymphatic system spread: endometrial cells can spread to other parts of the body (the pelvic cavity in particular) through blood.
  • Coelomic Metaplasia: in this case, cells in other parts of the body unrelated to the uterus turn into endometrial cells.

What are the symptoms?

Pelvic masses, pelvic pain and infertility are the main symptoms of endometriosis. All of them can be treated, but not necessarily at the same time. In some cases, women with endometriosis have no symptoms at all and are diagnosed only after they seek a reproductive endocrinologist’s help in getting pregnant.

How is the condition diagnosed?

While checking for symptoms and performing a physical exam is an important first step, the only real way to diagnose endometriosis is through a biopsy obtained during surgery. There is no blood test for endometriosis.

How is endometriosis treated?

When treating endometriosis, it is important to first identify whether a patient is mainly concerned with addressing her pain or treating infertility. It is not always possible to simultaneously relieve a patient’s pain and also help her to become pregnant. If a woman is not looking to conceive and just wants to alleviate her pain, over the counter pain killers like Advil or Motrin, as well as hormonal treatments like birth control pills or the Mirena IUD, can help.

Patients whose main concern is pregnancy will likely require treatment with fertility medications and either artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF is the most effective treatment for infertility in patients with endometriosis because it bypasses pelvic scar tissue and enables the sperm and egg to meet in a controlled environment. However, even in IVF, women with endometriosis have slightly lower pregnancy rates than other individuals with infertility.

So I can get pregnant if I have endometriosis?

Yes, you read that right! You might need a little help through IVF, but you can get pregnant.


24/Jul/2018

An article from RMA Philadelphia

What is infertility?

Infertility is defined as the inability to get pregnant after six months of trying for women aged 35 or older and after one year of trying for women under the age of 35. Women who have been pregnant previously and have been trying for six months also fall into this category.

When is it time to see a doctor?

If the above definition of infertility describes your situation, it may be time to see a reproductive endocrinologist. Women with a history of irregular periods, endometriosis, pelvic surgery or infection, as well as previous radiation or chemotherapy should not wait 6-12 months prior to seeking care from a fertility specialist. In addition, men with a history of testicular cancer, radiation or chemotherapy, as well as other medical conditions, should seek evaluation.

What happens at that first patient visit?

You’ll meet with your reproductive endocrinologist, who will ask about your medical and family history, as well as how long you’ve been trying to conceive.

The doctor will perform a pelvic exam and vaginal ultrasound to evaluate your uterus and ovaries, and tell you about additional testing, such as blood work, a semen analysis and a procedure to assess your fallopian tubes.

If you decide to pursue evaluation, you can have your testing completed within four weeks of your first visit, at which point you will meet with your doctor again to design a plan for you.

That plan could include using medication to boost ovulation coupled with Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) or require a more high-tech approach like In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

Are my chances of getting pregnant good?

It depends on your age, your specific situation and the clinic you choose, but women can feel confident going to a successful fertility clinic, especially because major advances in technology and science have improved success rates and lessened risk.

I’m seeing older celebrities getting pregnant – why should I worry?

While doctors are getting better at helping infertile women get pregnant, the time on the biological clock has not changed: at 35 years of age, a woman’s fertility begins to significantly decline, and it gets harder to get pregnant. The risk of miscarriage also increases. So while celebrities are having babies at an older age, it’s unclear whether those babies came from eggs or embryos that they froze when they were younger, or from donor eggs. While it is possible for women in their 40s to conceive naturally or through IVF using their own eggs, is it is uncommon.

I’m ready to talk to a specialist now. What’s next?

Congratulations on taking a proactive step to begin your family. The doctors at Reproductive Medicine Associates of Philadelphia are here to help. Begin your fertility journey by making an appointment today: 855.762.4672 or visit www.rmaspecialists.com.



February is heart healthy month. There has long been a debate about which organ is more important, your heart or your brain. While both may take equal importance, February’s focus on the heart has us talking about what we can do to keep our heart healthy.

At the top of the list is exercise. Even if you do not need to lose weight, cardiovascular exercise for 30 minutes, five times per week will keep your heart healthy. Besides burning calories and helping with keeping your blood pressure controlled, cardiovascular exercise helps build extra blood vessels which can save your life if any blood vessel becomes occluded. By having alternative blood vessels supplying blood to the same area of the heart that is not receiving a normal supply of blood, you avoid any permanent damage to that part of the heart.

Next and just as important is getting the proper amount of sleep. Recent studies show that getting less than 7-8 hours of sleep nightly may cause hormonal dysfunction that contribute to weight gain and elevated blood sugars. Even more obvious is that your heart rate decreases while sleeping, giving your heart time to recover from your day.

Diet is also clearly another key aspect to keeping your heart healthy. It is widely agreed that the Mediterranean diet is a heart healthy diet. The key components of this diet are: low fat proteins (beans, white meat, Tahini, low fat cheeses), olive oil, whole grains, nuts, bread (whole grain), veggies and fruit (instead of dessert). These foods should be fresh, not processed. Adding Mediterranean spices decreases the need for higher amounts of salt. An added plus is that some spices like Coriander and Rosemary are also antioxidants. To top off the diet: wine – another proven antioxidant. Because this diet is healthier and lower in calories, it often times produces weight loss. Antioxidant-rich foods are also brain friendly which keeps your brain sharper.

Hydration is another key element of heart health, especially in females who typically have lower blood pressure than men. Not being well hydrated can damage all of your organs – especially your heart. If your blood pressure is low and you are not well hydrated, you are at higher risk of getting dizzy and passing out.

While going about your days in February, let the red around you remind you that just like the four chambers in your heart, there are four easy things that you can do every day to keep your heart healthy. By giving love back to your heart, it will keep you healthy and will lead to a happy body and heart relationship!



Move More

Exercise is one of the most powerful things that you can use in your day-to-day life to improve your cardiovascular health, manage your weight, strengthen your bones, reduce stress, and possibly even prevent certain types of cancer. I tell all of my patients that exercise is truly like medicine for your body and for your mind. The ultimate exercise goal is to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (i.e. brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity (i.e. jogging or running) per week, in addition to muscle-strengthening activities on 2 days out of the week. This might sound intimidating at first, but the good news is that you can spread out this time over the week in a way that is most convenient for your schedule. Even exercising just 10 minutes at a time is beneficial. You can also get creative – brisk walking and jogging aren’t the only ways to exercise. Anything that gets your body moving counts as exercise, so find something that makes you happy – anything from aerial yoga to zumba – and roll with it!

Eat Better

New Years is always the time of year when trendy crash or fad diets start to surge in popularity. These are never the most effective or sustainable options and are often times flat-out unhealthy. When it comes to your diet, small changes over time can make a big difference. One of the simplest ways to modify your diet and improve your health is to focus on increasing your consumption of fruits and vegetables. It is well-known that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can decrease the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Another strategy for the New Year is to cook at home more and eat out less. That way, you have control over portion size and also all of the ingredients (including salt, oils, butter, etc.) involved in preparing your meal. For further dietary guidance and support, you can always schedule an appointment with one of our nutritionists at RWWC.

Drink Less

Alcohol is everywhere in our culture, and drinking is encouraged on many levels. We are constantly bombarded with promotional messaging about alcohol and it can be easy to get caught up in drinking habits that might, in actuality, be harmful to your health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define “heavy drinking” for women as 8 drinks or more per week. One drink is defined as either 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of hard alcohol. “Binge drinking” for women is defined as having more than 3 drinks on one occasion. Heavy drinking has many short-term and long-term consequences for women, and in many cases these consequences are more pronounced than they are in men. These include increased risk for alcohol-related liver disease, memory loss and shrinkage of the brain, osteoporosis, and breast cancer. There are, however, beneficial effects of certain types of alcohol that are well-documented, such as improvement in cholesterol and cardiovascular health – the key here is moderation.

Quit Smoking

It should be no surprise to anyone that smoking is extremely harmful to your health and will shorten your life. Any degree of tobacco use, whether it’s smoking a pack per day or social smoking, has serious consequences. Many are aware of the risks of lung and head/neck cancers caused by smoking, but some may not know that smoking damages many other organ systems. For example, smoking is the single most common preventable risk factor for bladder and kidney cancer, which are highly aggressive malignancies with few available treatment options. Toxic carcinogens inhaled during smoking do not only contact the upper airway and lung tissue, they are also absorbed into the blood stream and penetrate into virtually every organ. The kidney and bladder are particularly susceptible to damage from smoking because these toxins are concentrated in the urine and literally bathe the kidneys and bladder before they are excreted in the urine. Even if they are discovered early, often radical and disfiguring surgeries are required to control cancers of the genitourinary tract. With regards to women’s health in particular, cigarette smoking increases the risk of HPV-related cancers of the cervix and vulva and also increases the risk for recurrent vaginitis, especially bacterial vaginosis (also known as BV). If you smoke, quitting is the #1 best thing that you could do for yourself. We are here to help you if you are ready to quit smoking, so please do not hesitate to discuss this with your healthcare provider at your next visit.

Establish Care

If you have not had an annual wellness visit or gynecologic exam in some time, please be sure to put this on your to-do list for 2018. Even if you feel healthy and have not had any changes to your health in the last several years, there are likely to be preventive health measures that you might be missing out on. We can help to make sure you are up-to-date with your immunizations, cancer screenings, and routine bloodwork so that you stay as healthy as possible in the years to come.


10/Nov/2017

Gov. Tom Wolf signed a law legalizing medical cannabis in Pennsylvania in April, 2016. One of the medical marijuana facts for Pennsylvania that frustrated supporters of legalization was that it took so long to happen. The Pennsylvania Senate first approved a bill legalizing medical weed in 2015, but it was not approved by the entire legislature until March, 2016. Several technical changes needed to be made before both chambers could finally agree on a final bill.

In order to be able to recommend cannabis to their patients, physicians need to complete a four-hour course. They must sign a certificate stating that the patient not only has a qualifying condition, but also that the doctor believes that patient will be able to benefit from medical cannabis use.

There are several forms of cannabis that patients can use, including oils, pills, creams, ointments, liquids, gels and more. Vaporization is allowed, but not smoking of the plant. While dispensaries are not allowed to sell edible forms of weed, the law allows patients to mix medicinal cannabis into drinks or food in order to help them ingest it.

If you are a patient in another state, you are not allowed to access medical weed in Pennsylvania.



You have probably heard the phrase “Breast is Best” in reference to breastfeeding a newborn baby. The benefits of breast milk to an infant are widely touted and acknowledged. Such benefits include: decreased risk of sudden infant death syndrome, decreased risk of obesity in the child, and a decreased risk of asthma, allergies and infections including ear infections, respiratory infections and diarrheal illnesses. What are often not discussed are the benefits of breastfeeding to the mother. Here we bring you 7 important maternal benefits of breastfeeding.

1) Better healing post-delivery: The act of breastfeeding stimulates the release of the hormone oxytocin. This encourages the uterus to contract, returning to its pre-pregnancy size sooner and decreasing post-partum bleeding.

2) Greater calorie burn: This allows some women to lose the pregnancy weight a bit faster. Some studies have also demonstrated a lower amount of visceral fat in women who have breastfed. This is the fat that is stored around the abdominal organs and predisposes an individual to cardiovascular disease.

3) Decreased risk of cancer: Moms who have breastfed have a decreased risk of breast, ovarian and endometrial cancer. This benefit is even seen in patients with a family history of breast cancer.

4) Decreased risk of chronic disease: A number of studies have demonstrated a reduction in the risk of Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure and increased cholesterol among women who have breastfed. There is also some data to suggest a potential reduction in osteoporosis risk.

5) Provides a break from menstruation: While exclusively breastfeeding, ovulation is suppressed and menstruation is delayed. This is a convenience for the new mom and also helps with pregnancy spacing. (Though should not be considered a highly reliable form of birth control)

6) Promotes emotional health: Oxytocin and prolactin are important hormones in a mother’s stress response. The increased levels associated with lactation allow the mother to manage stress better and have a positive impact on social behaviors including maternal-infant bonding.

7) Saves money: It is estimated that breastfeeding an infant for the first year of life can save $400-$1000 even when accounting for the modest increase in food intake by a nursing mother. In addition, breast fed infants have less illnesses leading to less time away from the job for working parents.


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1632 Pine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: 215-735-7992
Fax: 215-735-7991
Email: info@rwwc.com

Hours

Mon & Wed:  8am – 8pm

Tues, Thurs, Fri: 8am – 4pm

Sat: 9am – 2pm

Sun: Closed

Don’t forget to contact us first when seeking medical care!

 

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