A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals a growing trend: an increasing number of people without diabetes are being prescribed GLP-1 medications, while new prescriptions for those with diabetes are on the decline. This trend raises concerns about potential shortages of these treatments.
GLP-1 drugs, which mimic a hormone that regulates blood sugar and curbs appetite, were initially approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In 2021, the FDA expanded their use, approving the drug Wegovy for weight loss purposes.
Both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have reported challenges in meeting the rising demand for these GLP-1 medications, which include Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, among other institutions, analyzed medical records from 45 million Americans who visited a doctor between 2011 and 2023. Their findings indicate that new users of GLP-1 drugs with type 2 diabetes dropped from nearly 90% to over 70% from 2019 to 2023. Concurrently, the share of new GLP-1 users without diabetes increased from 10% to 25%.
This data suggests a significant shift in healthcare providers’ perspectives regarding the medications’ benefits in treating obesity, according to Yee Hui Yeo, a co-first author of the study. While this shift is encouraging, it raises concerns about ensuring that patients with diabetes continue to have access to these essential treatments.
The study utilized data collected from the healthcare software company TriNetX, which may not represent the entire national landscape.
In recent years, the popularity of GLP-1 drugs has surged due to their appetite-suppressing effects, with users reported to lose up to 26% of their body weight. The skyrocketing sales of these medications have considerably increased the market value of Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, positioning them as two of the most valuable pharmaceutical companies in the world. However, this high demand has led to difficulties for some patients in obtaining their prescriptions, prompting both companies to invest billions in increasing production.
Morgan Stanley analysts project that the global market for GLP-1 drugs could reach $105 billion by 2030, anticipating that the adoption of these treatments will encompass approximately 31.5 million people in the U.S. by 2035, which represents about 9% of the population.