A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals a growing trend of GLP-1 drug prescriptions among individuals without diabetes, coinciding with a decline in new prescriptions for those with diabetes. This raises concerns about potential shortages of these treatments.
GLP-1 medications mimic a hormone that regulates blood sugar and curbs appetite. Initially approved for type 2 diabetes management, the FDA extended approval in 2021 for the GLP-1 drug Wegovy to aid weight loss.
As demand surges, both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are struggling to produce sufficient amounts of GLP-1 drugs, including Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and other institutions examined medical records of 45 million Americans who visited a doctor between 2011 and 2023. They found that the share of new GLP-1 users with type 2 diabetes dropped from nearly 90% to over 70% from 2019 to 2023, while the proportion of new users without type 2 diabetes increased from 10% to 25%.
“This data suggests that more healthcare providers are recognizing the benefits of these medications for managing obesity, marking a significant public health shift,” noted Yee Hui Yeo, co-first author of the study. Yeo also highlighted the need to ensure continued access for diabetes patients amid rising demand.
The study utilized data from the healthcare software company TriNetX, which may not represent the entire national population.
GLP-1 drugs have gained popularity due to their appetite-suppressing effects, enabling users to lose up to 26% of their body weight.
The soaring sales of these medications have propelled Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to rank among the most valuable pharmaceutical companies globally. However, the heightened demand has resulted in challenges for some patients in having their prescriptions filled. Both companies have invested billions to enhance production capacities.
Analysts at Morgan Stanley project that the global market for GLP-1 drugs will reach $105 billion by 2030, with an anticipated adoption rate of around 31.5 million individuals in the U.S., approximately 9% of the population, by 2035.