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Rachel V Thomas

Did Donald Trump Take Eli Lilly's Weight Loss Drug? What Did White House Say

GLP-1 weight-loss drugs have taken the world by storm. One new entrant is <span>Eli Lilly</span>'s <span>retatrutide</span>, which has demonstrated bariatric surgery-level weight loss.

Retatrutide is not yet FDA-approved or commercially available; it is expected to be available by the end of 2026.

According to a media report, Eli Lilly and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have allowed one person to gain access to the drug through the company's "compassionate use" program. It is generally used by patients with serious and immediately life-threatening medical issues to get access to experimental treatments.

STAT News, citing sources, reported that a request for drug access was made in April for a 79-year-old, well-connected man, and indicated that the person could be US President Donald Trump, who turned 80 a week ago.

<h2>What Did <span rel="noindex">White House</span> Say</h2>

The White House has aggressively denied the claim.

"This application was not for the President," said, White House spokesperson Kush Desai, while blasting STAT on X..

STAT claimed that "during the Covid-19 pandemic, Trump was notably one of the first people administered an antibody treatment from Regeneron after he contracted the virus, via this same compassionate use pathway".

Further, the media outlet cited that Ranganath Muniyappa, a senior clinician at the National Institutes of Health, had requested the drug to treat a patient for refractory obesity with obstructive sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension, noting it inquired whether Trump has those conditions.

In response, Desai referred to a White House memo on Trump's most recent medical evaluation that did not contain any mention of obstructive sleep apnea or pulmonary hypertension.

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/president-donald-trump-remains-in-excellent-health-says-white-house-article-154431875" data-type="tilCustomLink">President Donald Trump Remains In Excellent Health, Says White House</a>

Earlier this year, Trump told The New York Times that he had not taken GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic but said, "I probably should."

Notably, Trump's latest physical exam revealed the president weighed 238 pounds, a 14-pound increase from April 2025 that nearly reached the threshold of clinical obesity.

Trump's health has been under increased scrutiny as he turned 80 this year and has been frequently seen with swollen ankles and bruises on his hands.

Read More: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/us-fda-panel-recommends-first-ever-mrna-flu-shot-for-older-adults-all-about-the-moderna-vaccine-article-154685767" data-type="tilCustomLink">US FDA Panel Recommends First-Ever mRNA Flu Shot For Older Adults: All About The Moderna Vaccine</a>

Retatrutide is similar to drugs like Zepbound and Wegovy that mimic the GLP-1 hormone. The drug aims to maximize weight-loss results with fewer side effects for users. If approved, it could be helpful for patients who are struggling to lose weight on the current versions of GLP-1 drugs.

Unlike Zepbound, which is a double agonist, retatrutide, mimics glucagon along with GLP-1. It thus, works like a triple agonist. 

In the third phase of clinical trial,  the drug helped people lose up to 30 per cent of their body weight, which is about 85 pounds. The results are on a par with bariatric surgery, which helps people shed approximately 25 to 35 per cent of their total body weight within one to two years. Doctors say that this is the largest weight loss ever witnessed in a medical trial.  

Dr Shauna Levy, medical director of the Tulane Weight Loss Center, explained that the current GLP-1s are not good enough to induce weight loss in people dealing with severe obesity and those who have a BMI of 35. Bariatric surgery can provide the same, but it seems that Retatrutide will be far more effective for people living with a high BMI who are trying to achieve a healthy weight.

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GLP-1 weight-loss drugs have taken the world by storm. One new entrant is Eli Lilly's retatrutide, which has demonstrated bariatric surgery-level weight loss.Retatrutide is not yet FDA-approved or commercially available; it is expected to be available by the end of 2026.According to a media report, Eli Lilly and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have allowed one person to gain access to the drug through the company's "compassionate use" program. It is generally used by patients with serious and immediately life-threatening medical issues to get access to experimental treatments.STAT News, citing sources, reported that a request for drug access was made in April for a 79-year-old, well-connected man, and indicated that the person could be US President Donald Trump, who turned 80 a week ago.What Did White House SayThe White House has aggressively denied the claim."This application was not for the President," said, White House spokesperson Kush Desai, while blasting STAT on X..STAT claimed that "during the Covid-19 pandemic, Trump was notably one of the first people administered an antibody treatment from Regeneron after he contracted the virus, via this same compassionate use pathway".Further, the media outlet cited that Ranganath Muniyappa, a senior clinician at the National Institutes of Health, had requested the drug to treat a patient for refractory obesity with obstructive sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension, noting it inquired whether Trump has those conditions.In response, Desai referred to a White House memo on Trump's most recent medical evaluation that did not contain any mention of obstructive sleep apnea or pulmonary hypertension.Also read: President Donald Trump Remains In Excellent Health, Says White HouseDid Trump take Ozempic?Earlier this year, Trump told The New York Times that he had not taken GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic but said, "I probably should."Notably, Trump's latest physical exam revealed the president weighed 238 pounds, a 14-pound increase from April 2025 that nearly reached the threshold of clinical obesity.Trump's health has been under increased scrutiny as he turned 80 this year and has been frequently seen with swollen ankles and bruises on his hands.What Is Retatrutide?Read More: US FDA Panel Recommends First-Ever mRNA Flu Shot For Older Adults: All About The Moderna VaccineRetatrutide is similar to drugs like Zepbound and Wegovy that mimic the GLP-1 hormone. The drug aims to maximize weight-loss results with fewer side effects for users. If approved, it could be helpful for patients who are struggling to lose weight on the current versions of GLP-1 drugs.Unlike Zepbound, which is a double agonist, retatrutide, mimics glucagon along with GLP-1. It thus, works like a triple agonist. In the third phase of clinical trial,  the drug helped people lose up to 30 per cent of their body weight, which is about 85 pounds. The results are on a par with bariatric surgery, which helps people shed approximately 25 to 35 per cent of their total body weight within one to two years. Doctors say that this is the largest weight loss ever witnessed in a medical trial.  Dr Shauna Levy, medical director of the Tulane Weight Loss Center, explained that the current GLP-1s are not good enough to induce weight loss in people dealing with severe obesity and those who have a BMI of 35. Bariatric surgery can provide the same, but it seems that Retatrutide will be far more effective for people living with a high BMI who are trying to achieve a healthy weight.

did donald trump take eli lilly's weight loss drug? what did white house say

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Did Donald Trump Take Eli Lilly's Weight Loss Drug? What Did White House Say

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Did Donald Trump Take Eli Lilly's Weight Loss Drug? What Did White House Say

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