A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine indicates that the proportion of individuals without diabetes being prescribed GLP-1 drugs is increasing, while new prescriptions for those with diabetes are declining. This trend raises concerns about potential shortages of these medications.
GLP-1 drugs are designed to mimic a hormone that manages blood sugar levels and suppresses appetite. Originally approved for treating type 2 diabetes, the FDA authorized Wegovy, a GLP-1 treatment, for weight loss in 2021.
Since that approval, both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have struggled to keep up with the soaring demand for GLP-1 medications, which include Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, along with other institutions, examined the medical records of 45 million Americans who visited healthcare providers between 2011 and 2023. Their findings revealed that the percentage of new GLP-1 users with type 2 diabetes decreased from nearly 90% to over 70% from 2019 to 2023, whereas the share of new users without diabetes rose from 10% to 25%.
Yee Hui Yeo, co-first author of the study, noted that this shift reflects an increasing recognition among healthcare providers of the medications’ benefits for obesity management. However, it raises concerns about ensuring continued access to these treatments for diabetes patients.
The data for the study was sourced from the healthcare software company TriNetX, which may not provide a complete national representation.
In recent years, GLP-1 drugs have gained popularity for their appetite-suppressing effects, with users reportedly losing up to 26% of their body weight. The surge in sales has propelled Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to be among the most valuable pharmaceutical companies globally, but it has also created challenges for patients obtaining their prescriptions. Both companies have invested heavily to increase production.
Morgan Stanley analysts project that the global market for GLP-1 drugs will reach $105 billion by 2030. They anticipate that by 2035, approximately 31.5 million people in the U.S. will adopt these medications, accounting for around 9% of the population.