About 1 in 8 adults in the United States have used a GLP-1 drug like Ozempic or Mounjaro at some point in their lives, and half of them—about 6% of adults, or more than 15 million of people are currently using a prescription, according to new KFF survey data. Video above Experts: High cost makes diabetes drugs unaffordable. The US Food and Drug Administration has reported shortages of GLP-1 drugs Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro in various doses over the past year as drugmakers have scrambled to keep up. with a skyrocketing demand. Last week, Novo Nordisk said at least 25,000 people in the US are starting its drug Wegovy each week, five times more than could start the drug each week in December. According to the new survey, most adults who have used these drugs have done so to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. More than 40% of respondents who have diabetes and about a quarter of those with heart disease said they have used GLP-1 drugs. But about 2 in 5 adults used GLP-1 drugs only for weight loss, according to the KFF survey. Ozempic ni Mounjaro is specifically approved for weight loss; the FDA gave them the green light to treat type 2 diabetes in 2017 and 2022, respectively. But doctors often use them off-label for weight loss. Wegovy, which was approved in 2021 for obesity, contains the same key ingredient as Ozempic, called semaglutide, while Mounjaro uses a slightly different one, tirzepatide. Younger adults were more likely to use them only for weight loss, according to the KFF survey. Medicare prohibits coverage of prescription weight-loss drugs, and only 1% of seniors said they have used a GLP-1 drug only for weight loss. , according to the KFF survey. But more than 60 percent of adults say Medicare policy should be changed to include coverage of these drugs when prescribed for weight loss. Still, regardless of insurance coverage, most adults who have used GLP-1 medications said it was difficult to pay for them, the KFF survey found. A month’s supply of the GLP-1 drug can cost about $1,000, and last month Senator Bernie Sanders launched an investigation into the “outrageously high prices” charged by manufacturers. Amid high costs and limited supply, some adults may seek alternatives to highly sought-after drugs. Last year, the FDA warned against compounded versions of semaglutide that combine, mix, or alter ingredients in ways that are not regulated or approved. “Patients should only obtain medications containing semaglutide with a prescription from an authorized health care provider and only obtain medications from state-licensed pharmacies or FDA-registered outsourcing facilities,” said the agency, citing reports of adverse events in people who used compounded semaglutide. prescription from a primary care physician or a specialist, according to the KFF survey. But about 11 percent said they got them from an online provider or website, and 10 percent said they got them from a medical spa or medical aesthetic center. The KFF survey results are based on responses that were collected from a nationally representative sample of nearly 1,500 people. adults during the last week of April. CNN’s Meg Tirrell and Tami Luhby contributed to this report.
About 1 in 8 adults in the United States have used a GLP-1 drug like Ozempic or Mounjaro at some point in their lives, and half of them—about 6% of adults, or more than 15 million of people are currently using a prescription, according to new KFF survey data.
Top Video Experts: High cost makes diabetes drugs unaffordable
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has reported shortages of the GLP-1 drugs Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro in various doses over the past year as drugmakers scramble to keep up with growing demand. Last week, Novo Nordisk said at least 25,000 people in the US are starting its drug Wegovy each week, five times more than could start the drug each week in December.
According to the new survey, most adults who have used these drugs have done so to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. More than 40% of respondents who have diabetes and about a quarter of those with heart disease said they have used GLP-1 drugs.
But about 2 in 5 adults used GLP-1 drugs only for weight loss, the KFF survey found.
Neither Ozempic nor Mounjaro are specifically approved for weight loss; the FDA gave them the green light to treat type 2 diabetes in 2017 and 2022, respectively. But doctors often use them off-label for weight loss. Wegovy, which was approved in 2021 for obesity, contains the same key ingredient as Ozempic, called semaglutide, while Mounjaro uses a slightly different one, tirzepatide.
In general, adults aged 50 to 64 were more likely to have used GLP-1 drugs, but younger adults were more likely to use them only for weight loss, according to the KFF survey.
Medicare prohibits coverage of prescription weight-loss drugs, and only 1 percent of seniors said they’ve used a GLP-1 drug just for weight loss, according to the KFF survey. But more than 60 percent of adults say Medicare policy should be changed to include coverage of these drugs when prescribed for weight loss.
Still, regardless of insurance coverage, most adults who have used GLP-1 drugs said it was difficult to pay for them, the KFF survey found.
A month’s supply of GLP-1 drugs can cost about $1,000, and last month Senator Bernie Sanders launched an investigation into the “outrageously high prices” charged by manufacturers.
Amid high costs and limited supply, some adults may seek alternatives to highly sought-after medications. Last year, the FDA warned against compounded versions of semaglutide that combine, mix, or alter ingredients in ways that are not regulated or approved.
“Patients should only obtain medications containing semaglutide with a prescription from an authorized health care provider and should only obtain medications from state-licensed pharmacies or FDA-registered outsourcing facilities,” he said. the agency, citing reports of adverse events in people who used compounded semaglutide. .
According to the KFF survey, the vast majority of adults who have used GLP-1 medications, about 80%, said they received the medications or a prescription from a primary care physician or specialist. But about 11 percent said they got them from an online provider or website, and 10 percent said they got them from a medical spa or medical aesthetic center.
The KFF survey findings are based on responses that were collected from a nationally representative sample of nearly 1,500 adults during the last week of April.
CNN’s Meg Tirrell and Tami Luhby contributed to this report.
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