Moore CF, Sabino V, Koob GF, Cottone P
We saw about a 30% increase in GLP-1 cost, and so we have direct contracted with an [online weight-loss program] to help us manage that program
The TV special heralded GLP-1 agonist medications as a miracle tool for many people that could put a dent in Americas obesity epidemic, citing that Nearly one in three Americans are overweight and close to 40 percent qualify as obese. Were seeing double the amount of weight loss you can achieve with this class of medications compared to what weve had in our toolbox for the last several decades, in combination of course with a healthy lifestyle, said Amanda Velazquez, MD, director of obesity medicine at Cedars-Sinai, in the TV special
In the 2021 STEP-1 trial (1,961 adults with obesity or overweight), participants receiving semaglutide plus lifestyle intervention experienced a 14.9% mean weight loss after 68 weeks, while those on placebo lost only 2.4%
While higher-income individuals may manage to afford GLP-1s OOP, lower-income individuals who are more likely to be affected by obesity will face significant access barriers