Dive Brief:

More adults are taking GLP-1 drugs to control their weight, despite recent shortages and high list prices, according to new research.

The percentage of overweight or obese adults prescribed a GLP-1 jumped from 0.3% in 2019 to 2.05% in 2024 — an almost 587% increase, according to an analysis of commercial claims by nonprofit Fair Health.

Yet only a small percentage of adults with overweight or obesity receive treatment, resulting in a massive unaddressed patient population that explains why drug manufacturers are salivating over the nascent obesity market. More than 80% of obese or overweight patients didn’t receive a GLP-1 prescription, bariatric surgery or behavioral healthcare in 2024, Fair Health found.

Dive Insight:

Fair Health trawled its repository of more than 51

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