Here’s the number of U.S. adults who have taken Ozempic or a similar drug for weight loss

A brand new study sheds light on the number of American adults who have used GLP-1 drugs similar to Ozempic or Mounjaro.

CNN reported that a nationwide KFF survey conducted in the last week of April amongst a representative sample of 1,500 adults found that about 1 in 8 adults had used one of the popular drugs sooner or later of their lives. The study found that half of adults in the country, or greater than 15 million people, currently use pharmaceuticals.

The KFF survey found that roughly 80% of respondents said they received a GLP-1 drug or a prescription from a specialist or primary care physician. It was found that 10% said they received it from a medical facility or spa, while 11% said they received it from an internet source.

Over the past 12 months, as drug firms scrambled to fulfill rapidly growing demand, the Food and Drug Administration reported shortages of the GLP-1 drugs Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro in various dosages.

The latest survey found that the majority adults used these drugs to treat chronic diseases similar to diabetes and heart disease. Of the respondents, over 40% had diabetes and over 25% had heart disease. However, roughly two in five people devour GLP-1 medications solely for weight loss.

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The FDA approved Ozempic and Mounjaro for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in 2017 and 2022, respectively. Although neither drug is approved for weight loss, doctors often prescribe them off-label. Mounjaro uses tyrzepatide, approved for weight loss in 2023 under the brand name Zepbound, while Wegovy, which was approved in 2021 for the treatment of obesity, incorporates semaglutide, the same predominant ingredient as Ozempic.

According to the KFF study, GLP-1 drugs were most frequently utilized by people aged 50 to 64, while younger adults were more prone to use them solely for weight loss.

CEO David Ricks explained that drug firms produced drugs for individuals with serious health problems, not “just to make someone who’s famous look a little better.”

According to CNN, Medicare doesn’t cover prescription weight loss medications, and a KFF study found that only one% of seniors were taking GLP-1 medications solely for weight loss. However, a majority of adults – greater than 60% – imagine that Medicare policy must be modified to cover these drugs prescribed for weight loss.

The KFF study found that the majority adults who took GLP-1 medications found it difficult to afford them, regardless of insurance.

Senator Bernie Sanders launched the probe last month at the “outrageously high prices” that manufacturers charge for GLP-1 drugs, a monthly supply of which may cost greater than $1,000.

While he acknowledged that scientists at Novo Nordisk, the maker of Wegova, deserve “great credit” for developing potentially game-changing drugs that may benefit hundreds of thousands of Americans scuffling with Type 2 diabetes and obesity, the senator assured that they’d do no good. if patients cannot afford it.

“In my opinion, Americans should not have to pay up to $1,349 a month for prescription drugs that cost less than $5 to produce and can be purchased for a fraction of that price in other developed countries,” Sanders said in a statement.

“Unfortunately, Novo Nordisk pricing has turned drugs that have the potential to improve people’s lives into luxury goods, while Novo Nordisk earned over $12 billion last year, up 76 percent from 2021,” he added. “This is unacceptable”.

CNN reported that prohibitive costs and limited availability may lead people to hunt substitutes for highly desirable drugs. Last 12 months, the FDA issued a warning about compounded forms of semaglutide that mix, mix or modify ingredients in an unapproved or regulated manner.

The FDA, citing reports of adversarial events in people using combination semaglutide, stated: “Patients should obtain medications containing semaglutide only with a prescription from a licensed health care provider and only from state-licensed pharmacies or outsourcing facilities registered with” agency.