Health Canada’s recent approval of weight loss drug Zepbound as a treatment for obstructive sleep apnea in obese adults could create financial risks for benefits plan sponsors, says Joseph Koo, assistant vice-president of health solutions and national pharmacist at Aon.

While the medication is a genuine clinical advance for this specific group of plan members, the use of a continuous positive airway pressure machine remains the most cost-effective first-line treatment for most employees diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, he says. “Zepbound’s role to treat OSA should be targeted for patients........

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