>> WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW MEDICATIONS BEING USED FOR HOW MEDICATIONS BEING USED FOR WEIGHT LOSS IS TRANSPORTATION WEIGHT LOSS IS TRANSPORTATION FORMING THE INDUSTRY. FORMING THE INDUSTRY. ERIELLE IS BACK WITH THE STORY. ERIELLE IS BACK WITH THE STORY. >> Reporter: WE HAVE TRULY >> Reporter: WE HAVE TRULY ENTERED A NEW ERA IN THE WEIGHT ENTERED A NEW ERA IN THE WEIGHT PHASE WHERE COMPANIES LIKE NOOM PHASE WHERE COMPANIES LIKE NOOM AND WEIGHT WATCHERS ARE AND WEIGHT WATCHERS ARE EMBRACING THOSE POPULAR EMBRACING THOSE POPULAR MEDICATIONS HELPING THEIR MEDICATIONS HELPING THEIR CUSTOMERS SHED POUNDS. CUSTOMERS SHED POUNDS. NOOM SHIFTING STRATEGIES, NOOM SHIFTING STRATEGIES, INCORPORATING WILDLY POPULAR INCORPORATING WILDLY POPULAR MEDICATIONS BEING USED FOR MEDICATIONS BEING USED FOR WEIGHT LOSS AS PART OF ITS WEIGHT LOSS AS PART OF ITS SERVICES FOR SOME CUSTOMERS. SERVICES FOR SOME CUSTOMERS. >> THERE IS NO QUICK FIX. >> THERE IS NO QUICK FIX. THERE IS A MORE TPBIVE WAY TO THERE IS A MORE TPBIVE WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT. LOSE WEIGHT. >> Reporter: NOOM PROVIDES >> Reporter: NOOM PROVIDES PSYCHOLOGICAL TIPS AND HELPS PSYCHOLOGICAL TIPS AND HELPS PEOPLE TRACK EATING AND EXERCISE PEOPLE TRACK EATING AND EXERCISE HABITS. HABITS. NOW THE COMPANY ATPHOUPBGS HABITS. NOW THE COMPANY ATPHOUPNNOUNCE T HABITS. NOW THE COMPANY ATPHOUPNNOUNCE W HABITS. NOW THE COMPANY ATPHOUPNNOUNCE L NOW THE COMPANY ATPHOUPNNOUNCE L OFFER MEDICATION TO COMBAT OFFER MEDICATION TO COMBAT OBESITY. OBESITY. THE PRICE IS $49 A MONTH. THE PRICE IS $49 A MONTH. THE DRUGS CAN COST UP TO $1,000. THE DRUGS CAN COST UP TO $1,000. THE NEW PROGRAM IS ONLY THE NEW PROGRAM IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF NOOM AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF NOOM WEIGHT, WHICH AVERAGES AROUND WEIGHT, WHICH AVERAGES AROUND $42 A MONTH ITSELF. $42 A MONTH ITSELF. IT FOLLOWS A SIMILAR MOVE BY IT FOLLOWS A SIMILAR MOVE BY WEIGHT WATCHERS BEYOND, ITS WEIGHT WATCHERS BEYOND, ITS LONGSTANDING CORE FOCUS ON TRIED LONGSTANDING CORE FOCUS ON TRIED AND TRUE DIET AND EXERCISE, NOW AND TRUE DIET AND EXERCISE, NOW TAKING A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR BET TAKING A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR BET ON THE MEDICATION ASSISTED ON THE MEDICATION ASSISTED WEIGHT LOSS BASE. WEIGHT LOSS BASE. >> THESE COMPANIES ARE PROFIT >> THESE COMPANIES ARE PROFIT DRIVEN. DRIVEN. IF PEOPLE WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT IF PEOPLE WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT AND THEY SEE THAT AS THE THING AND THEY SEE THAT AS THE THING THAT'S VALUABLE, MORE COMPANIES THAT'S VALUABLE, MORE COMPANIES WILL JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON. WILL JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON. >> Reporter: BACK IN MARCH, >> Reporter: BACK IN MARCH, WEIGHT WATCHERS ACQUIRING A WEIGHT WATCHERS ACQUIRING A TELEHEALTH SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE TELEHEALTH SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE ALLOWING CUSTOMERS TO PAY $99 ALLOWING CUSTOMERS TO PAY $99 PER MONTH FOR ACCESS TO DOCTORS PER MONTH FOR ACCESS TO DOCTORS WHO CAN PRESCRIBE MEDICATIONS WHO CAN PRESCRIBE MEDICATIONS LIKE OZEMPIC. LIKE OZEMPIC. >> WHAT I HAVE SEEN WITH >> WHAT I HAVE SEEN WITH PATIENTS ON THESE MEDICATIONS IS PATIENTS ON THESE MEDICATIONS IS THAT IT DRASTICALLY CHANGES THAT IT DRASTICALLY CHANGES THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD. THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD. SO THIS IDEA THAT THIS IS AN SO THIS IDEA THAT THIS IS AN EASY FIX IS COMPLETELY NOT TRUE. EASY FIX IS COMPLETELY NOT TRUE. THERE'S TONS OF SIDE EFFECTS THERE'S TONS OF SIDE EFFECTS THAT GO ON WITH THIS MEDICATION. THAT GO ON WITH THIS MEDICATION. PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY SACRIFICING PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY SACRIFICING QUITE A BIT TO HAVE THINNESS AND QUITE A BIT TO HAVE THINNESS AND LIVE IN A SMALLER BODY. LIVE IN A SMALLER BODY. >> Reporter: AS THE LANDSCAPE >> Reporter: AS THE LANDSCAPE CONTINUES TO CHANGE IN THIS CONTINUES TO CHANGE IN THIS INDUSTRY, MANY OF THESE INDUSTRY, MANY OF THESE LONGSTANDING COMPANIES HAVE BEEN LONGSTANDING COMPANIES HAVE BEEN FORCED TO EITHER PIVOT THEIR FORCED TO EITHER PIVOT THEIR BUSINESS MODELS OR FACE CLOSURE. BUSINESS MODELS OR FACE CLOSURE. JUST LAST MONTH, JENNY CRAIG JUST LAST MONTH, JENNY CRAIG CLOSING ITS DOORS AFTER 40 YEARS CLOSING ITS DOORS AFTER 40 YEARS IN BUSINESS. IN BUSINESS. THOSE MEAL PLANS AND THOSE IN THOSE MEAL PLANS AND THOSE IN PERSON COACHING SESSIONS. PERSON COACHING SESSIONS. GUYS? GUYS? >> ERIELLE, THANKS. >> ERIELLE, THANKS. DR. JEN ASHTON IS HERE. DR. JEN ASHTON IS HERE. YOU ARE BOARD CERTIFIED IN YOU ARE BOARD CERTIFIED IN OBESITY MEDICINE. OBESITY MEDICINE. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? >> THIS IS NOT FOR THE PERSON >> THIS IS NOT FOR THE PERSON WHO NEEDS OR WANTS TO LOSE FIVE WHO NEEDS OR WANTS TO LOSE FIVE OR TEN POUNDS. OR TEN POUNDS. THESE ARE PEOPLE DIAGNOSED WITH THESE ARE PEOPLE DIAGNOSED WITH OBESITY WHO HAVE OTHER CO-MORE OBESITY WHO HAVE OTHER CO-MORE BID CONDITIONS THAT ARE BID CONDITIONS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR WEIGHT. ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR WEIGHT. IN THE FIELD OF OBESITY IN THE FIELD OF OBESITY MEDICINE, THE USE OF FDA MEDICINE, THE USE OF FDA APPROVED WEIGHT LOSS APPROVED WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATIONS, ALONG WITH MEDICATIONS, ALONG WITH ATTENTION TO WHAT WE'RE EATING ATTENTION TO WHAT WE'RE EATING AND EXERCISE IS THE GOLD AND EXERCISE IS THE GOLD STANDARD. STANDARD. THAT'S BECAUSE THESE CONDITIONS THAT'S BECAUSE THESE CONDITIONS HAVE GENETIC CAUSES, METABOLIC. HAVE GENETIC CAUSES, METABOLIC. IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS EATING IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS EATING LESS, MOVING MORE. LESS, MOVING MORE. >> HOW ABOUT THE RISK >> HOW ABOUT THE RISK ASSOCIATED. ASSOCIATED. >> ALWAYS HAVE TO FIGURE OUT >> ALWAYS HAVE TO FIGURE OUT PROS, CONS, RISKS, BENEFITS. PROS, CONS, RISKS, BENEFITS. SOME OF THESE DRUGS COME WITH A SOME OF THESE DRUGS COME WITH A BLACK BOX WARNING FOR PEOPLE BLACK BOX WARNING FOR PEOPLE WITH THYROID ISSUE. WITH THYROID ISSUE. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS IS NOT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS IS NOT LIKE TREATING SOMEONE WITH STREP LIKE TREATING SOMEONE WITH STREP THROAT WITH ANTIBIOTIC. THROAT WITH ANTIBIOTIC. WHEN OR IF SOMEONE DISCONTINUES WHEN OR IF SOMEONE DISCONTINUES THESE MEDICATIONS, THE THESE MEDICATIONS, THE LIKELIHOOD OF WEIGHT REGAIN IS LIKELIHOOD OF WEIGHT REGAIN IS VERY SIGNIFICANT, IF NOT LIKELY. VERY SIGNIFICANT, IF NOT LIKELY. OF COURSE, THERE CAN BE MILD GI OF COURSE, THERE CAN BE MILD GI SIDE EFFECTS. SIDE EFFECTS. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY DON'T THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY DON'T HAVE A ROLE. HAVE A ROLE. IT JUST MEANS THEY REQUIRE IT JUST MEANS THEY REQUIRE MEDICAL SUPERVISION, IDEALLY MEDICAL SUPERVISION, IDEALLY WITH A PHYSICIAN WHO IS BOARD WITH A PHYSICIAN WHO IS BOARD CERTIFIED IN OBESITY MEDICINE. CERTIFIED IN OBESITY MEDICINE. >> AS YOU HAVE POINTED OUT FOR >> AS YOU HAVE POINTED OUT FOR AWHILE, THESE ARE A LIFE LONG AWHILE, THESE ARE A LIFE LONG THING OR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF THING OR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF YOUR LIFE. YOUR LIFE. >> THEY ARE NOT SHORT TERM IN >> THEY ARE NOT SHORT TERM IN MOST CASES. MOST CASES. THE CONDITIONS OF OVERWEIGHT AND THE CONDITIONS OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY ARE LIFE LONG CHRONIC OBESITY ARE LIFE LONG CHRONIC CONDITIONS. CONDITIONS. SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS ONE SIZE FITS ALL, PARDON THE ONE SIZE FITS ALL, PARDON THE PUN. PUN. IT HAS TO BE INDIVIDUALIZED. IT HAS TO BE INDIVIDUALIZED. IT HAS TO BE FOLLOWED UP WITH A IT HAS TO BE FOLLOWED UP WITH A PHYSICIAN. PHYSICIAN. THIS IS NOT LIKE CANDY.