Topline The use of GLP-1 medications like semaglutide for weight loss has increased twofold over the past decade, but declined in use among type 2 diabetics, according to a new study, and the researchers warn the resulting and ongoing drug shortage may limit diabetics’ access to the drugs. A picture Wegovy injectable prescription pens. Key Facts Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center examined 1 million first-time GLP-1 prescriptions in the U.
S. between 2011 and 2023 and separated patients by those who took GLP-1s for type 2 diabetes, and those who didn’t have diabetes but took them for obesity or obesity-related health conditions like high blood pressure and heart disease. The amount of new patients prescribed GLP-1s for diabetes decreased by almost 10% between 2011 and 2023, while those who were prescribed the drugs for obesity or other obesity-related conditions more than doubled during the same time period, particularly since 2020, according to the study published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide—the generic name for Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus—was the most prescribed GLP-1 in 2023, making up over 88% of all new prescriptions. GLP-1s are medications designed to manage type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity by lowering blood sugar and A1C, interacting with the hunger part of the brain to suppress the appetite and slowing down the process of food emptying from the stomach, causing patients to feel full longer. The res.