A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine highlights a significant shift in the prescription of GLP-1 drugs, revealing that the proportion of non-diabetic patients receiving these medications is increasing, while prescriptions for diabetic patients are declining. This trend could lead to potential shortages of these vital treatments.
GLP-1 medications, designed to mimic a hormone that regulates blood sugar and curbs appetite, were originally approved for managing type 2 diabetes. However, the FDA expanded their approval in 2021 to include weight loss options like Wegovy.
Since this change, both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have encountered challenges in producing sufficient quantities of GLP-1 drugs, which include Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic, to satisfy the growing demand.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and other institutions conducted an analysis of medical records from 45 million Americans who visited a healthcare provider between 2011 and 2023. Their findings indicate that the share of new GLP-1 users with type 2 diabetes dropped from nearly 90% to over 70% between 2019 and 2023. Conversely, the percentage of new users without type 2 diabetes increased from 10% to 25%.
Yee Hui Yeo, the study’s co-first author, noted that this trend suggests healthcare providers are recognizing the effectiveness of these medications for obesity treatment, reflecting a significant public health change. However, concerns arise regarding the accessibility of these drugs for patients with diabetes.
The study’s data was sourced from TriNetX, a healthcare software company, which may not provide a fully representative national snapshot.
In recent years, GLP-1 drugs have gained popularity due to their appetite-suppressing effects, enabling some users to 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 companies globally. Nonetheless, the soaring demand has created difficulties for some patients in obtaining their prescriptions. Both companies have invested heavily to scale up production.
According to Morgan Stanley analysts, the global market for GLP-1 drugs is projected to reach $105 billion by 2030, with an anticipated adoption rate of around 31.5 million individuals in the U.S., roughly 9% of the population, by 2035.