A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals an increasing trend in the prescription of GLP-1 drugs to individuals without diabetes, while new prescriptions for those with diabetes are on the decline.
Researchers caution that this shift could lead to potential shortages of these essential treatments. GLP-1 medications, initially approved for type 2 diabetes, mimic a hormone that regulates blood sugar and suppresses appetite. The FDA’s approval of Wegovy for weight loss in 2021 has contributed to rising demand.
Companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are facing challenges in meeting this demand for their GLP-1 medications, including Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic.
Analyzing medical records from 45 million Americans who visited healthcare providers between 2011 and 2023, researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center found that the percentage of new GLP-1 users with type 2 diabetes dropped from nearly 90% in 2019 to over 70% in 2023. Conversely, the share of new users without diabetes climbed from 10% to 25%.
Yee Hui Yeo, co-first author of the study, noted that the data highlights a significant shift in how healthcare providers view these medications for obesity treatment. However, this trend raises legitimate concerns about ensuring access for diabetes patients who need these drugs.
While the study utilized data from TriNetX, a healthcare software company, its findings may not reflect the national landscape comprehensively.
In recent years, GLP-1 drugs have gained immense popularity for their appetite suppression effects, with users reportedly losing up to 26% of their body weight. The soaring sales of these drugs have propelled Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to become leading pharmaceutical companies globally, but the heightened demand has created difficulties for some patients in filling their prescriptions. Both companies have committed significant investments to boost production of these medications.
Morgan Stanley analysts project that the global market for GLP-1 drugs may hit $105 billion by 2030, with an expected adoption rate of approximately 31.5 million individuals in the U.S., representing around 9% of the population, by 2035.