Growing Demand for Ozempic: Implications and Concerns
Originally developed to treat Type 2 diabetes, Ozempic-like drugs are now increasingly being used for weight loss, according to a new study. Consequently, this shift in Ozempic for weight loss is raising concerns about potential shortages.
Healthcare Provider Perspectives
“Ozempic for weight loss is becoming a significant public health trend,” said Dr. Yee Hui Yeo, a clinical fellow at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. However, it also raises concerns about potential medication shortages and the need to ensure that patients with diabetes still have access to these treatments,” Yeo warned.
How Ozempic Works
GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic mimic the GLP-1 appetite-suppressing hormone the body naturally produces after eating. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Ozempic in 2017 to treat Type 2 diabetes in adults. Moreover, it helps the pancreas produce more insulin to regulate blood sugar levels.
FDA Approvals and Clinical Trials
In 2021, the FDA approved Wegovy, which also contains semaglutide, for adult weight loss. Clinical trials showed that Wegovy users shed an average of 12.4% of their initial body weight.
Rapid Increase in GLP-1 Drug Use
“After the medication was approved for obesity, the use of GLP-1 drugs increased rapidly,” said Dr. Ali Rezaie, medical director of the Cedars-Sinai GI Motility Program. As a result, we lost control of how fast people were adopting these medications.”
Study Findings: Demographics and Trends
Dr. Yeo and Dr. Rezaie, co-authors of the study, analyzed medical records for about 45 million Americans who visited a doctor between 2011 and 2023. They found approximately 1 million new users of GLP-1 drugs during this period. Most were white women with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, which is considered obese. Meanwhile, the proportion of new users with Type 2 diabetes decreased.
Shifting Prescription Patterns
“New GLP-1 prescriptions among those with obesity or related conditions without Type 2 diabetes doubled,” Rezaie said. “We saw a notable increase in medication use especially since 2020.” Additionally, the study found that semaglutide has become more popular than liraglutide. The FDA approved liraglutide under the brand name Saxenda for obesity in 2014 and Victoza for Type 2 diabetes in 2010.
Limitations of the Study
The Cedars-Sinai study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, acknowledges that the TriNetX database used for the analysis may not represent the national population. For more news follow us at WS Coverage.
