A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine has revealed a significant increase in prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs among people without diabetes, while new prescriptions for those with diabetes are on the decline.
This trend raises concerns about potential shortages of these medications, which mimic a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and suppress appetite. Initially approved for treating type 2 diabetes, the FDA expanded their use in 2021 by approving Wegovy for weight loss.
Pharmaceutical companies Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are facing challenges in meeting the rising demand for their GLP-1 medications, which include Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and other institutions analyzed medical records from 45 million Americans who visited a doctor from 2011 to 2023. They found that the percentage of new GLP-1 users with type 2 diabetes decreased from nearly 90% to over 70% between 2019 and 2023. In contrast, the proportion of new GLP-1 users without diabetes rose from 10% to 25%.
Co-first author of the study, Yee Hui Yeo, indicated that this shift reflects a growing recognition among healthcare providers regarding the effectiveness of these medications for obesity treatment. However, it also underscores the pressing need to ensure continued access for diabetes patients.
The study utilized data from the healthcare software firm TriNetX, which may not be fully representative of the national landscape.
In recent years, the appetite-suppressing effects of GLP-1 drugs have contributed to their popularity, with studies showing users losing up to 26% of their body weight.
The soaring sales of these drugs have propelled Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to become some of the most valuable pharmaceutical companies globally. Nevertheless, the surge in demand has made it difficult for some patients to fill their prescriptions, prompting both companies to invest billions in increasing production capabilities.
Morgan Stanley analysts project that the global market for GLP-1 drugs will reach $105 billion by 2030, with adoption expected to rise to approximately 31.5 million individuals in the U.S., representing about 9% of the population by 2035.