In recent years, more prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs were written to treat obesity than Type 2 diabetes, adding to accessibility and shortage concerns, according to a study published July 23 in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Researchers from Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia used a nationwide database to analyze the medical records of 45 million individuals with at least one outpatient or inpatient visit from 2011-23. They found about 1 million new GLP-1 users during this time, and classified them based on whether they had diabetes, obesity or other related conditions.
Here's a breakdown of the shifts researchers observed:
- An average of nearly 65% of GLP-1 users had Type 2 diabetes between 2011-14, and nearly 47% had a body mass index of 30 or higher.
- Between 2019 and 2023, patterns shifted, with a greater share of new GLP-1 prescriptions being written for obesity. More than 66% of prescriptions for new users in that period were for patients with a BMI of at least 30, and 54% were for patients who had Type 2 diabetes.
"This data suggests that more healthcare providers are seeing the benefits of these medications for treating obesity, which is a significant public health shift," Yee Hui Yeo, MD, an author on the study and clinical fellow in the Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Cedars-Sinai, said in a news release. "However, it also raises concerns about potential medication shortages and the need to ensure that patients with diabetes still have access to these treatments."
Prescription volumes for GLP-1 medications surged 300% between 2020 and 2022, leading to supply shortages. Read more about trends affecting the supply of GLP-1 drugs here.