A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine highlights a concerning trend in the prescription of GLP-1 drugs. The analysis reveals that the proportion of prescriptions for individuals without diabetes is rising, while those for people with diabetes are declining.
GLP-1 drugs, which mimic a hormone that controls blood sugar levels and decreases appetite, were originally approved for treating type 2 diabetes. In 2021, the FDA expanded their usage to include Wegovy for weight management. However, leading manufacturers, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, are facing challenges in meeting the increasing demand for these medications, which encompass Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and other institutions assessed medical records from 45 million American patients who visited healthcare providers between 2011 and 2023. They found 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 segment of users without diabetes grew from 10% to 25%.
Yee Hui Yeo, co-first author of the study, noted, “This data suggests that more healthcare providers are recognizing the benefits of these medications for treating obesity, which marks a significant public health shift. However, it also raises concerns about potential medication shortages and the need to ensure that patients with diabetes still have access to these treatments.”
The data for this study were sourced from healthcare software company TriNetX, which may not fully represent the national landscape.
Over recent years, GLP-1 drugs have gained popularity due to their side effects that suppress appetite, with studies indicating users can lose up to 26% of their body weight.
The surge in sales of these medications has positioned Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk among the most valuable pharmaceutical firms globally. Despite their investments of billions to boost production, fulfilling prescriptions has become increasingly difficult for some patients.
Morgan Stanley analysts predict that the global market for these drugs will exceed $105 billion by 2030 and project that approximately 31.5 million individuals in the U.S.—roughly 9% of the population—will adopt these treatments by 2035.