A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals a growing trend in the prescription of GLP-1 drugs among individuals without diabetes, while new prescriptions for those with diabetes are declining. This shift has raised concerns about potential shortages of these medications.
GLP-1 drugs are designed to mimic a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels and suppress appetite. Initially approved for treating type 2 diabetes, the FDA expanded their use in 2021 to include weight loss solutions, such as Wegovy.
Currently, pharmaceutical companies Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are facing challenges in producing sufficient quantities of GLP-1 drugs, which include Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic, to meet the growing demand.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and other institutions reviewed medical records of 45 million Americans who visited doctors between 2011 and 2023. They noted 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 users without diabetes rose from 10% to 25%.
Yee Hui Yeo, a co-first author of the study, pointed out that this trend indicates healthcare providers are increasingly recognizing the benefits of these drugs for obesity treatment. However, it also highlights the potential risk of medication shortages and the importance of ensuring access for diabetic patients.
The study utilized data from TriNetX, a healthcare software company, which may not fully represent national trends.
In recent years, the popularity of GLP-1 drugs has surged, attributed to their appetite-suppressing effects and significant weight loss results, sometimes up to 26% of a user’s body weight.
The soaring sales of these medications have positioned Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk among the most valuable pharmaceutical companies globally. Nonetheless, the heightened demand has created challenges in filling prescriptions for some patients. Both firms have invested billions to increase their production capabilities.
Morgan Stanley analysts predict that the global market for GLP-1 drugs could reach $105 billion by 2030, with an estimated 31.5 million individuals in the U.S. adopting these treatments by 2035, representing about 9% of the population.