The line of incarcerated individuals at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center waiting to receive injectable medication on Tuesday mornings recently got smaller as SQ began weaning patients off GLP-1 drugs prescribed for weight loss.
“If I need it for my health, why are they taking me off of a medication that is beneficial to me?” asked SQ resident Michael King.
King received a letter from California Correctional Health Care Services in December indicating that his prescription for weight loss medication would end in 2026.
The notice said that to align with Medi-Cal standards and as part of CCHCS’ ongoing efforts to promote continued access to medications after release from CDCR, obesity will no longer qualify individuals for prescriptions to medications such as Wegovy, Ozempic, Mounjaro and Zepound.
San Quentin residents taking the drugs for diabetes or other qualifying health conditions may still receive the GLP-1 medications.
The notice said that King’s prescription is for weight loss and was terminated for that reason. “I’m sorry that this is the case, but these new rules have my hands tied,” said King’s physician.
According to an October 2025 article in Shots—Health News, a survey showed weight loss drugs have helped reduce obesity rates to 37% of U.S. adults, down from 39.9% three years ago.
The survey found that the numbers of Americans taking weight loss drugs under the brands Wegovy, Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Zepound has more than doubled during the past year and a half. Approval to use these drugs to treat obesity in the U.S. came in 2021, the Shots article reported.
In October 2023, CDCR began distributing the same drugs to incarcerated individuals diagnosed with obesity and diabetes. SQ residents whose body mass index exceeded 30 qualified as obese and became eligible to receive the GLP-1 medications. As of 2026, residents previously qualified solely due to a diagnosis of obesity no longer qualify for the medication.
According to Shots, persons on the outside are also running into barriers hindering access to the popular weight loss drugs.
Dr. Fatima Stanford, a Harvard University obesity specialist, said that access to these drugs will soon be an even bigger issue. She said that many private insurers are stopping coverage, and patients without insurance will pay $500 more a month to receive the medication.
While drug makers are working on a less expensive pill version of the drugs, the added cost for treatments would be out of reach for many, said Stanford.
SQ resident Marcus Gallegos said he lost 55 pounds in 10 months taking the weight loss drug. He said side effects included diarrhea and upset stomach and that the severity of the symptoms varied depending on the dose he received. After stabilizing his dosage, the uncomfortable side effects went away and the weight loss benefit outweighed his temporary discomfort.
Along with injecting the drug, Gallegos’ weight loss journey included changing his diet and attending the exercise movement class offered to all residents at the facility. His prescription is for both weight loss and other underlying health conditions, which qualifies him to continue receiving the drug.
“It would be a shame if they took me off the medicine, because I’ve always battled with my weight,” Gallegos said. “Hunger cravings are real, and those shots once a week really curb my appetite.”
Gallegos said that many residents are upset that CCHCS is weaning them off the medication. One of his friends used to take five different pills a day, but now he gets one shot a week. Like others, he said his friend is afraid of gaining the weight back when the prescription ends.
“Bottom line is whether you are on the medication or not, you can’t outrun a bad diet,” Gallegos said. “Exercise is a big part of losing weight, but it’s the junk food that is fueling obesity.”