A new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals a growing trend of GLP-1 drug prescriptions for individuals without diabetes, coinciding with a decline in new prescriptions for those with diabetes. Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center analyzed medical records of 45 million Americans from 2011 to 2023 and found that the percentage of new GLP-1 users with type 2 diabetes decreased from nearly 90% to over 70% between 2019 and 2023. Conversely, the share of new GLP-1 users without type 2 diabetes rose from 10% to 25%.
GLP-1 medications, which initially gained approval for treating type 2 diabetes, have also been authorized for weight loss, with Wegovy receiving FDA approval in 2021. These drugs, including Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic, work by mimicking a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels and reduces appetite. The surge in demand for these treatments has posed challenges for manufacturers like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, who are struggling to meet production needs.
Yee Hui Yeo, co-first author of the study, noted the significant public health shift toward using these medications for obesity treatment but expressed concern over potential shortages that could impact diabetes patients’ access to necessary therapies. Morgan Stanley forecasts that the global market for GLP-1 drugs could reach $105 billion by 2030, with an estimated 31.5 million Americans, nearly 9% of the population, adopting these treatments by 2035.