A majority of patients taking weight loss drugs discontinue use of their medication before reaching a clinically meaningful health benefit, according to new research published May 21 by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
The study was conducted by Blue Health Intelligence and is based on national pharmacy and medical claims data from nearly 170,000 commercial insurance members, the largest study of its kind to date.
Members included in the study were prescribed Wegovy or Saxenda between July 2014 and December 2023 and had at least six months of continuous enrollment before and after they began taking GLP-1s. Patients taking GLP-1 drugs should complete at least 12 weeks of continuous treatment to achieve weight loss that will positively impact their health, according to BCBS.
"When patients take medication, we want it to be safe and effective," Razia Hashmi, MD, vice president of clinical affairs at BCBSA, said. "This study shows most people are unlikely to see lasting benefits. Unfortunately, weight loss isn't as simple as filling a prescription."
Seven key takeaways:
1. 58% of patients discontinue GLP-1 use before reaching a clinically meaningful health benefit.
2. 30% of patients discontinued use of weight loss drugs within the first month of treatment.
3. A majority of GLP-1 prescriptions came from a primary care provider. Patients who received a prescription from an endocrinologist or obesity medicine specialist were more likely to stick with treatment.
4. Patients who saw their physician more often, regardless of specialty, were more likely to continue with treatment.
5. Patients aged 18 to 34 were more likely to drop out of treatment sooner.
6. Gender had no effect on dropout rates in the first 12 weeks.
7. Patients with coexisting conditions such as peripheral vascular disease or diabetes, particularly those with three or more similar conditions, were more likely to continue treatment.