A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals a concerning trend in the prescription of GLP-1 drugs, indicating that the proportion of individuals without diabetes receiving these medications is increasing, while prescriptions for diabetic patients are on the decline. This situation raises alarms about potential shortages of these treatments.
GLP-1 drugs mimic a hormone that plays a crucial role in regulating blood sugar and appetite. Initially approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, the FDA expanded their use in 2021 to include weight loss, allowing for the prescription of Wegovy.
Since this expansion, pharmaceutical companies such as Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have been struggling to meet the growing demand for GLP-1 medications, which include popular options like Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and other institutions analyzed health records from 45 million Americans, finding that the percentage of new GLP-1 users with type 2 diabetes decreased from nearly 90% to over 70% between 2019 and 2023. Concurrently, the share of new GLP-1 users without diabetes rose from 10% to 25%.
Co-first author Yee Hui Yeo commented that this shift indicates a growing recognition among healthcare providers of the benefits these medications can offer in treating obesity, representing a significant public health change. However, this trend also poses a risk to ensure that diabetic patients maintain access to these essential treatments.
The study utilized data from the healthcare software company TriNetX, which may not fully represent national trends.
In recent years, GLP-1 drugs have gained popularity for their weight-loss effects, helping users shed up to 26% of their body weight.
The soaring sales of these drugs have positioned Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk as some of the world’s most valuable pharmaceutical companies, though the increased demand has led to challenges for certain patients in obtaining their prescriptions. In response, both companies have committed billions of dollars to boost production.
Analysts from Morgan Stanley predict that the global market for GLP-1 medications could reach $105 billion by 2030, with an expected adoption rate of about 31.5 million individuals in the U.S.—roughly 9% of the population—by 2035.