An Obesity Drug Prevents Covid Deaths, Study Suggests

People taking Wegovy were not protected from infection. But in a large trial, their death rates were markedly lower, for reasons that are not clear.

Wegovy, the popular obesity drug, may have yet another surprising benefit. In a large clinical trial, people taking the drug during the pandemic were less likely to die of Covid-19, researchers reported on Friday.

People on Wegovy still got Covid, and at the same rate as people randomly assigned to take a placebo. But their chances of dying from the infection plunged by 33 percent, the study found.