A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals a rising trend in the prescription of GLP-1 drugs to individuals without diabetes, while new prescriptions for those with diabetes are on the decline.
The study’s authors caution that this shift could lead to potential shortages of these important treatments. GLP-1 medications, which mimic hormones that help regulate blood sugar and curb appetite, were originally approved for managing type 2 diabetes. However, in 2021, the FDA approved Wegovy, a GLP-1 treatment, for weight loss.
Since the approval, pharmaceutical companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have struggled to keep up with the increasing demand for GLP-1 drugs, which include Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and other institutions analyzed medical records from 45 million Americans who visited doctors between 2011 and 2023. Their findings indicate that the proportion of new GLP-1 users with type 2 diabetes decreased from nearly 90% to over 70% from 2019 to 2023. Conversely, the percentage of new users without type 2 diabetes increased from 10% to 25%.
Yee Hui Yeo, a co-first author of the study, noted that more healthcare providers are recognizing the benefits of these medications for obesity treatment, marking a significant public health shift. However, this trend raises concerns about ensuring access for diabetes patients who need these treatments.
The study utilized data from TriNetX, a healthcare software company, but this data may not represent the entire national population. The popularity of GLP-1 drugs has surged in recent years due to their appetite-suppressing effects, with users reportedly losing up to 26% of their body weight.
Consequently, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have become some of the world’s most valuable pharmaceutical companies, yet the high demand has made it challenging for certain patients to fill their prescriptions. Both companies have committed billions to increase their production of these medications.
According to analysts at Morgan Stanley, the global market for GLP-1 drugs is projected to reach $105 billion by 2030, with an estimated 31.5 million Americans, or about 9% of the population, expected to adopt these medications by 2035.