A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals a notable shift in the prescription patterns of GLP-1 drugs, with a growing number of individuals without diabetes receiving these medications, while prescriptions for diabetic patients are declining. This trend raises concerns over potential shortages of these treatments.
GLP-1 medications, which were initially approved for managing type 2 diabetes, operate by mimicking a hormone that controls blood sugar levels and curbs appetite. Following the FDA’s approval of Wegovy in 2021 for weight loss, demand for these drugs surged.
Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, major players in the GLP-1 market, are currently facing challenges in meeting this rising demand for medications such as Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and other institutions analyzed medical records from 45 million Americans who visited healthcare providers between 2011 and 2023. Their findings indicated a decline in new GLP-1 users with type 2 diabetes, dropping from nearly 90% to over 70% from 2019 to 2023. Conversely, the proportion of new users without diabetes increased from 10% to 25%.
Yee Hui Yeo, a co-first author of the study, noted that this shift highlights the increasing recognition among healthcare providers of the benefits of these medications in obesity treatment. However, it also emphasizes the importance of ensuring that diabetic patients continue to have access to these essential drugs.
The study utilized data from healthcare software company TriNetX, which may not fully represent national trends.
In recent years, GLP-1 drugs have gained popularity due to their ability to suppress appetite and have been shown to help users lose up to 26% of their body weight.
The soaring market for these medications has elevated Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to become some of the world’s most valuable pharmaceutical companies. However, the high demand has created difficulties for some patients in obtaining their prescriptions. Both firms have invested significantly in scaling up production to meet this demand.
Morgan Stanley analysts predict that the global market for GLP-1 drugs could reach $105 billion by 2030 and estimate that approximately 31.5 million people in the U.S.—about 9% of the population—will be using these drugs by 2035.