A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals a significant shift in the prescription patterns for GLP-1 medications, with an increasing number of individuals without diabetes receiving these drugs, while new prescriptions for diabetes patients are declining.
The trend raises concerns about the potential for shortages in these vital treatments. GLP-1 drugs, which include well-known medications like Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic, mimic a hormone that plays a key role in regulating blood sugar and appetite. Originally, these medications were approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, but the FDA’s endorsement of Wegovy for weight loss in 2021 has led to a surge in their use among non-diabetic patients.
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and other institutions analyzed the medical records of 45 million Americans who had at least one doctor’s visit from 2011 to 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. Conversely, the share of new GLP-1 users without type 2 diabetes rose from 10% to 25%.
Co-first author of the study, Yee Hui Yeo, highlighted this shift, noting that it reflects healthcare providers recognizing the benefits of these drugs for obesity treatment, a trend that has significant public health implications. However, she also emphasized the urgency of addressing possible shortages to ensure diabetes patients continue to receive necessary treatments.
The study utilized data from the healthcare software company TriNetX, which might not fully represent national patterns. Over recent years, the popularity of GLP-1 drugs has soared due to their appetite-suppressing effects, with some users losing as much as 26% of their body weight.
The rising demand for these medications has propelled Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to the forefront of the pharmaceutical industry, but it has also posed challenges for patients in obtaining their prescriptions. Both companies have invested heavily to increase production capacity. Industry analysts at Morgan Stanley project that the global market for GLP-1 drugs may reach $105 billion by 2030, with an estimated 31.5 million individuals, or about 9% of the U.S. population, using these medications by 2035.