Weight loss drugs available for adolescents over 12, but doctors have questions about long-term use
Aug 4, 2025, 6:00 AM
The injectable weight-loss medication Wegovy. (Scott Olson, Getty Images)
(Scott Olson, Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY — Pediatricians in Utah can prescribe weight loss drugs for adolescents over 12 years of age, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. But there are many unknowns about the long-term use of the drugs commonly known as Ozempic and Wegovy.
“What does it mean if you’re 14 and on this medicine? Are you on it for life? What happens when you hit childbearing ages or adulthood or things like that?” asked Dr. Ellie Brownstein, a local pediatrician and President-elect of the Utah AAP.
Brownstein says the obesity problem in kids is growing, leading to the recommendation from the AAP.
“Lifetime complications of obesity, leading to liver disease and kids needing liver transplants. Diabetes from a young age, that can wreak havoc,” Brownstein said.
However, she says the high cost of the drugs will be too expensive for some families.
She says doctors will still continue to urge healthy eating habits and exercise to combat childhood obesity.
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