Craze For Ozempic And Zepbound For Weight Loss Leave Diabetic Patients Without Critical GLP-1 Medications

The skyrocketing demand for GLP-1 medications for weight loss is causing significant supply issues, often leaving type 2 diabetic patients without access to these critical drugs.

GLP-1 receptor agonists are blockbuster drugs due to their dual role in managing type 2 diabetes and aiding in weight reduction.

These medications induce the pancreas to produce more insulin and help curb hunger, slowing the movement of food from the stomach into the small intestine.

Also Read: Eli Lilly’s Famed Weight Loss Drug Zepbound Scores Chinese Approval.

The Forbes report adds that the popularity of such drugs has surged not only among diabetes patients and those with obesity but also among individuals seeking cosmetic weight loss, driven by social media influencers and advertisements.

As a result, chronic shortages of GLP-1 drugs have emerged, making it difficult for type 2 diabetics to access medications like Novo Nordisk A/S’s NVO Ozempic (semaglutide) and Eli Lilly And Co’s LLY Mounjaro (tirzepatide), both approved for diabetes treatment.

Citing CNN, Forbes notes that Ozempic, widely used off-label for weight loss, accounts for at least 32% of its national sales.

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield’s analysis suggests that over 60% of Ozempic prescriptions lack sufficient evidence of diabetes.

According to the Associated Press, the active ingredient in Mounjaro, tirzepatide, is also found in Zepbound, which now represents over 21% of tirzepatide-based sales.

Another semaglutide-based GLP-1 product, Wegovy, approved by the FDA as an obesity drug in 2021, is also in short supply.

More than 90% of semaglutide-based drugs were prescribed for type 2 diabetics in 2018, but this percentage dropped to 58% in 2023 due to the rising off-label use for obesity.

Trulicity (dulaglutide), Eli Lilly’s other GLP-1 approved solely for diabetes, is also running out, as reported by NPR.

Without a directive from agencies like the FDA, prioritizing access for diabetes patients remains doubtful. Given the FDA’s generally hands-off approach to off-label prescribing, such a directive seems unlikely.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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