David J. Phillip/Associated Press
Most adults who have ever used a GLP-1 drug like Ozempic did so to manage a chronic disease, a new study finds.
CNN
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Approximately 1 in 8 U.S. adults have used a GLP-1 drug such as Ozempic or Munjaro at some point in their lives, and half of them (approximately 6% of adults, or more than 15 million people) currently have a prescription. using. , according to the new one survey data From KFF.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has reported shortages of various doses of the GLP-1 drugs Ozempic, Wigovy, and Munjaro over the past year as drugmakers scramble to meet surging demand. Novo Nordisk announced last week that at least 25,000 people in the United States are taking its drug Wigovy each week. 5 times There were more people than were able to start the medication weekly in December.
Most adults who have used these drugs did so to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, according to a new study. More than 40% of respondents with diabetes and about a quarter of respondents with heart disease said they had used GLP-1 drugs.
However, the KFF poll found that about two in five adults use GLP-1 drugs solely to lose weight.
Neither Ozempic nor Munjaro are specifically approved for weight loss. The FDA gave the go-ahead to treat type 2 diabetes in 2017 and 2022, respectively. However, doctors usually use them off-label for weight loss. Wigovy, which was approved as an obesity drug in 2021, contains the same main ingredient as Ozempic, called semaglutide, but Maunjaro uses a slightly different drug, tirzepatide.
Overall, adults ages 50 to 64 were most likely to have used GLP-1 drugs, while younger adults were more likely to use them solely for weight loss, according to the KFF study.
Medicare prohibits coverage of prescription weight loss drugs, and the KFF survey found that only 1% of seniors said they used GLP-1 drugs solely for weight loss. However, most adults (over 60%) say: medicare Policies should be changed to include coverage for these drugs if prescribed for weight loss.
Still, most adults who have used GLP-1 drugs, regardless of insurance coverage, say they cannot afford them, the KFF poll found.
A month’s supply of GLP-1 drugs can cost about $1,000, and last month Sen. Bernie Sanders investigation Manufacturers charge “exorbitantly high prices.”
With high costs and limited supply, some adults may be looking for alternatives to popular drugs. Last year, the FDA warned: Combined version of semaglutide Combines, mixes or alters ingredients in an unregulated or unapproved manner;
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Citing reports of adverse events in people who used combination semaglutide, the agency said, “Patients should only obtain semaglutide-containing drugs by prescription from a licensed health care provider, and should not visit a state-licensed pharmacy or the FDA.” Medicines should only be obtained from registered referral facilities.” .
According to the KFF survey, the majority of adults (approximately 80%) who have used a GLP-1 drug said they received the drug or prescription from their primary care physician or specialist. However, about 11% said they got it from an online provider or website, and 10% said they got it from a medical spa or aesthetic medical center.
KFF’s findings are based on responses collected from a nationally representative sample of approximately 1,500 adults during the last week of April.
CNN’s Meg Tirrell and Tami Luhby contributed to this report.
