New, popular injectable weight loss drugs — GLP-1 drugs — are highly effective at reducing obesity and, probably, the health risks posed by obesity. Yet the drugs are so expensive that insurers are often choosing between two bad options: restricting access or raising consumer costs.

A new study suggests that GLP-1 agonist medications like Ozempic, which are used for diabetes management and weight loss, may help reduce the risk of overdose and alcohol intoxication in people with substance use disorders.