A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals a troubling trend in the prescription of GLP-1 drugs, with an increasing number of non-diabetic patients being prescribed these medications, while prescriptions for diabetic individuals are declining. This raises concerns over potential shortages of these important treatments.
GLP-1 drugs, designed to mimic a hormone that manages blood sugar and reduces appetite, were initially approved for treating type 2 diabetes. However, following the FDA’s approval of Wegovy for weight loss in 2021, their use has expanded. As a result, pharmaceutical companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are struggling to keep up with the surging demand for these medications, which include Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and other institutions examined the medical records of 45 million Americans between 2011 and 2023. They found that the percentage of new GLP-1 users with type 2 diabetes dropped from nearly 90% to over 70% between 2019 and 2023. Concurrently, the proportion of new users without type 2 diabetes rose from 10% to 25%.
Yee Hui Yeo, the study’s co-first author, noted that the rising awareness of the benefits of these medications for obesity among healthcare providers reflects a significant public health shift. However, she expressed concern over ensuring that diabetic patients continue to have access to these critical treatments amid increasing prescriptions for non-diabetics.
The study utilized data from healthcare software company TriNetX, which may not fully represent the national patient population. Over recent years, GLP-1 drugs have gained popularity for their appetite suppression features, leading to substantial weight loss for users, with some losing up to 26% of their total body weight.
The soaring sales of these medications have elevated Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to the top ranks of pharmaceutical companies globally. Despite their efforts to increase production, some patients are still facing challenges in filling their prescriptions. Analysts from Morgan Stanley predict that the global market for GLP-1 drugs could surpass $105 billion by 2030, with an estimated 31.5 million Americans, or about 9% of the population, expected to adopt these treatments by 2035.