A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals that the proportion of individuals without diabetes being prescribed GLP-1 medications is increasing, while new prescriptions for those with diabetes are on the decline.
The study indicated that this trend could lead to potential shortages of these treatments. GLP-1 drugs, which include medications such as Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic, mimic a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels and suppresses appetite. Initially approved for type 2 diabetes treatment, these drugs gained further attention when the FDA approved Wegovy for weight loss in 2021.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and other institutions reviewed medical records from 45 million Americans who visited doctors between 2011 and 2023. Their findings showed a decline in the share of new GLP-1 users with type 2 diabetes, dropping from nearly 90% in 2019 to over 70% in 2023. Concurrently, the percentage of new users without type 2 diabetes rose from 10% to 25%.
Yee Hui Yeo, a co-first author of the study, commented that the data indicates a shift among healthcare providers recognizing the benefits of these drugs for obesity treatment. However, this trend raises concerns regarding the availability of these medications for diabetes patients.
The increase in popularity of GLP-1 drugs, celebrated for their appetite-suppressing effects and potential to aid in weight loss of up to 26%, has led to booming sales, positioning Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk among the world’s most valuable pharmaceutical companies. Despite these companies investing billions to enhance production, high demand has created challenges in fulfilling prescriptions for some patients.
Morgan Stanley analysts project that the global market for these drugs could reach $105 billion by 2030, with an estimation that around 31.5 million people in the U.S. will adopt these medications by 2035, encompassing about 9% of the population.