A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals a rising trend in the prescription of GLP-1 drugs to individuals without diabetes, alongside a decrease in new prescriptions for diabetic patients. This shift raises concerns regarding potential shortages of these medications.
Initially, GLP-1 drugs were developed to treat type 2 diabetes by imitating a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels and curbs appetite. However, in 2021, the FDA approved Wegovy, a GLP-1 treatment, for weight loss purposes.
Currently, pharmaceutical companies Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are facing challenges in producing sufficient GLP-1 drugs, which include Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic, to meet rising demand.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and other institutions examined medical records of 45 million Americans who visited healthcare providers between 2011 and 2023. Their findings indicate that the percentage of new GLP-1 users with type 2 diabetes decreased from nearly 90% to over 70% from 2019 to 2023, while the share of new users without diabetes increased from 10% to 25%.
Yee Hui Yeo, a co-first author of the study, noted that this data highlights a significant public health shift, as more healthcare providers recognize the benefits of GLP-1 medications for treating obesity. Nonetheless, it underscores the necessity of ensuring that diabetes patients maintain access to these crucial treatments.
The study utilized data from the healthcare software company TriNetX, which may not be fully representative of the national population. In recent years, GLP-1 drugs have gained popularity for their appetite-reducing effects, enabling users to lose up to 26% of their body weight.
The soaring sales of GLP-1 medications have significantly increased the market value of Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, making them among the world’s most valuable pharmaceutical firms. However, the high demand has led to difficulties for some patients in obtaining their prescriptions. Both companies have committed substantial investments to enhance their production capabilities for these drugs.
According to Morgan Stanley analysts, the global market for GLP-1 medications is projected to reach $105 billion by 2030, with an expected increase in adoption among approximately 31.5 million people in the U.S. by 2035, accounting for around 9% of the population.