A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals an increasing number of individuals without diabetes being prescribed GLP-1 medications, even as new prescriptions for those with diabetes are declining. The authors of the study express concerns about potential shortages of these treatments due to the changing prescription patterns.
GLP-1 drugs, designed to simulate a hormone that regulates blood sugar and suppresses appetite, were originally approved for treating type 2 diabetes. However, since the FDA approved Wegovy for weight loss in 2021, these medications have gained popularity among non-diabetic patients.
Both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are currently facing challenges in producing sufficient quantities of GLP-1 drugs, which include Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic, to meet the escalating demand.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and other institutions analyzed medical records from 45 million Americans who visited a doctor between 2011 and 2023. Their findings indicate that the percentage of new GLP-1 users with type 2 diabetes decreased from nearly 90% in 2019 to over 70% in 2023. Concurrently, the proportion of new users without type 2 diabetes increased from 10% to 25%.
“This data indicates that more healthcare providers recognize the benefits of these medications for managing obesity, which marks a significant shift in public health,” said Yee Hui Yeo, co-first author of the study. However, she added that this trend could lead to medication shortages, emphasizing the importance of ensuring access for diabetes patients.
The study utilized data from the healthcare software company TriNetX, though it may not be representative of the entire national population.
In recent years, GLP-1 medications have gained traction for their appetite-suppressing effects, helping users achieve weight reductions of up to 26%. As a result, the soaring popularity of these drugs has positioned Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk among the most valuable pharmaceutical companies globally. Nonetheless, high demand has made it challenging for some patients to fill their prescriptions, prompting both companies to invest billions in increasing production capacity.
Morgan Stanley analysts project that the global market for GLP-1 drugs could reach $105 billion by 2030. They also anticipate that approximately 31.5 million people in the U.S., representing about 9% of the population, will adopt these medications by 2035.