A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals that the number of non-diabetic individuals prescribed GLP-1 medications is increasing, while new prescriptions for diabetes patients are declining. Researchers are raising alarms regarding the potential shortages of these treatments as demand surges.
GLP-1 drugs, which imitate a hormone that manages blood sugar levels and curbs appetite, were originally approved for treating type 2 diabetes. However, in 2021, the FDA granted approval for the GLP-1 medication Wegovy for weight loss purposes.
Both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are currently facing challenges in manufacturing enough GLP-1 drugs—including Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic—to accommodate the growing demand.
The study, conducted by researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and other institutions, examined medical records from 45 million Americans who visited healthcare providers between 2011 and 2023. The findings show that the percentage of new GLP-1 users with type 2 diabetes dropped from nearly 90% to over 70% from 2019 to 2023, while the share of new users without diabetes increased from 10% to 25%.
“This data suggests that healthcare providers are increasingly recognizing the benefits of these medications for obesity treatment, marking a significant shift in public health,” commented Yee Hui Yeo, co-first author of the study. “However, this raises concerns about possible medication shortages and the necessity to ensure diabetes patients retain access to these treatments.”
The study sourced its data from TriNetX, a healthcare software company, which may not fully represent national trends.
In recent years, GLP-1 drugs have gained popularity due to their appetite-suppressing effects and have been shown to assist users in losing up to 26% of their body weight.
As sales of these medications soar, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have emerged as the most valuable pharmaceutical companies globally. However, the heightened demand has created difficulties for some patients when seeking to fill their prescriptions. Both companies have poured billions into expanding their production capabilities.
Morgan Stanley analysts project that the global market for GLP-1 drugs will reach $105 billion by 2030. They also foresee that approximately 31.5 million individuals in the U.S., nearly 9% of the population, will use these medications by 2035.