A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals a growing trend among individuals without diabetes being prescribed GLP-1 drugs, while new prescriptions for those with diabetes are declining. The researchers caution that this shift could lead to potential shortages of these treatments.
GLP-1 drugs function by mimicking a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels and suppress appetite. Although they were originally approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, the FDA expanded their use in 2021 to include weight loss with the approval of Wegovy.
Since this expansion, both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have faced challenges in producing sufficient quantities of GLP-1 medications, which include Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic, to meet the surge in demand.
The research team from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and other institutions examined the medical records of 45 million Americans who had at least one doctor visit between 2011 and 2023. They discovered that the percentage of new GLP-1 users with type 2 diabetes decreased from nearly 90% to over 70% between 2019 and 2023, while the share of new users without diabetes rose from 10% to 25%.
Yee Hui Yeo, co-first author of the study, commented, “This data suggests that more healthcare providers are recognizing the advantages of these medications for treating obesity, marking a significant public health shift. However, it also raises concerns about possible medication shortages and the necessity of ensuring continued access for diabetes patients.”
The study utilized data from TriNetX, a healthcare software company, although it may not represent the entire national population.
GLP-1 drugs have gained popularity in recent years due to their appetite-suppressing properties, with evidence indicating they can assist users in losing up to 26% of their body weight.
The surging sales of these medications have made Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk among the world’s most valuable pharmaceutical companies. However, this high demand has created difficulties for some patients in filling their prescriptions. Both companies have invested billions to increase the production of these medications.
Morgan Stanley analysts project that the global market for GLP-1 drugs could reach $105 billion by 2030, with expectations that around 31.5 million people in the U.S., or about 9% of the population, will use these medications by 2035.