Wait, this medication works for weight loss?

Weight loss is hard, and keeping it off can be even more challenging. In fact, it’s been shown that only 20% of people are able to achieve long-term weight loss—defined as losing 5-10% of your body weight within six months, and keeping it off for at least a year. 

That news can be a little discouraging, we know. The good news: Those who combine medication with lifestyle modifications tend to lose more weight. And the real kicker: They are more likely to keep it off at the one-year mark.

Found understands that no two people are the same. This is why our providers work with a portfolio of different medicines, so they can personalize treatment for weight care. Some medicine you may recognize, others you may not.

Generic medicine for weight loss 

Found care providers sometimes prescribe generic versions of brand-name drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for chronic weight management known as anti-obesity medication or AOMs. Often brand-name versions of popular AOMs come with a heftier price tag if you have to pay out of pocket, or they may be hard to find due to supply issues.

Insurance coverage remains poor for newer brand medicines, leading many obesity specialists to prescribe generic components to expand access to treatment for their patients. (All prescriptions at Found are written at a medical provider's discretion.)

Medication-assisted weight loss would not be possible without the help of generic prescribing. By having a variety of medications that target different pathways in the body, it allows medical providers to individualize treatment plans and choose what is right for you and your biology.

What is "off-label" prescribing? 

Prescribing medication to treat obesity when it is approved by the FDA for another condition is known as prescribing the medicine "off-label" or “off-patent.” But that doesn’t mean that the drugs aren’t safe or tested—they’re simply FDA-approved for other uses than weight loss. Off-label prescribing is legal, and as many as 20 percent of prescriptions in the US are written for off-label uses.

Are "off-label" medications safe?

Yes. These medicines are already approved by the FDA for another use, so they have been subject to rigorous testing and have passed strict federal standards.  Your Found doctor will be sure to go over all of these details with you. Your program is personalized and individualized to you, and all medications are used in the most secure way possible.

How the Found program works

The Found journey begins with a health quiz. If you qualify, you'll have a consultation with a board-certified medical provider in order to find the right medication. Some medications target the reward center in your brain to curb cravings, while others may stabilize your blood sugar, or help control your appetite. Whatever the medication may be, you can be confident in knowing that it caters to your unique biology. 

Alongside medication, lifestyle changes are crucial to sustainable weight loss. This is why as a Found member you will get one-on-one access to health coach, a supportive community with other Found members, science-based health information, and our in-app behavior change program that helps you establish habits around nutrition, movement, hydration, sleep, and mental health. 

About Found

Found is among the largest medically-supported weight care clinics in the country, serving more than 250,000 members to date. To start your journey with Found, take our quiz.

 For more information about the medications, click here