Zepbound, Shaq launch national OSA awareness campaign

INDIANAPOLIS – Eli Lilly and Company has announced that basketball legend and cultural icon Shaquille O'Neal is sharing his personal experience with moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), including candid insight into his diagnosis and treatment journey with Zepbound (tirzepatide). After years of dismissing fatigue, loud snoring and difficulty focusing as normal parts of his life, O'Neal learned they were actually symptoms of moderate-to-severe OSA. Moderate-to-severe OSA is a serious but often overlooked condition that affects approximately 24 million adults in the US, many with obesity. Most cases of moderate-to-severe OSA remain undiagnosed and untreated. Now, he's partnering with Lilly to raise awareness of the condition and encourage others to talk to their doctor. "For a long time, I was tired during the day, not sleeping well at night, and I just thought that's how it was for someone my size," said O'Neal. "When my doctor told me I had moderate obstructive sleep apnea, it clicked – this wasn't just about snoring, it was a real health condition. Being prescribed Zepbound helped make a difference for me in my OSA treatment journey; I even lost some weight. If sharing my story helps even one person talk to their doctor, that's a win." To help close this awareness gap, Lilly is launching Watch This, a national, multi-channel campaign built around O'Neal's experience. The campaign spans broadcast, streaming, digital and social platforms, along with in-person community events and appearances. In his own voice, O'Neal shares the symptoms he dismissed for years and why he decided to take action, pointing audiences to resources at zepbound.lilly.com to recognize their own symptoms and connect with care and treatment options. O’Neal first partnered with Eli Lilly in 2025 on OSA awareness.