Despite challenges, GLP-1 drugs offer quick weight loss and potential health benefits.
Gastrointestinal side effects increased the likelihood of quitting.
High cost of GLP-1 drugs contributes to discontinuation.
Lack of long-term data on older, cheaper alternatives for weight maintenance is a concern.
New study reveals over 36% of GLP-1 drug users discontinued medication within a year due to costs and side effects.
Obese individuals without type 2 diabetes were more likely to quit than those with type 2 diabetes (50.3% vs 34.2%).
New research reveals that many people discontinue the use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic within a year due to costs and gastrointestinal side effects. According to a study published in JAMA Network Open, over 36% of patients had stopped taking their GLP-1 medication by the end of one year. Obese individuals without type 2 diabetes were more likely to have quit their GLP-1 drug compared to those with type 2 diabetes (50.3% vs 34.2%). People living in poorer areas were also more likely to stop using their GLP-1 medication than users in affluent areas. Gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, increased the likelihood of quitting weight-loss medications.
Despite these challenges, GLP-1 drugs have been touted for their quick weight loss and potential health benefits in reducing obesity-related health problems. However, if patients stop taking the medication, they are likely to regain much of the weight that they lost. Some studies suggest that gradually weaning off these drugs instead of quitting suddenly may help minimize weight gain.
The shortages and hard-to-find availability of certain GLP-1 drugs like Zepbound have also caused issues for those trying to maintain their weight loss. Some people have turned to compound pharmacies for approximations of the drug online or tapered their doses. The lack of long-term data on older, cheaper alternatives like topiramate, phentermine, metformin, and bupropion/naltrexone for weight maintenance is a concern.
The high cost of these drugs is another factor contributing to discontinuation. The average monthly list price for semaglutide is over $1,000. Individuals with lower monthly costs are more likely to stay on the medication compared to those paying more.
It's critical that people take these drugs long enough to achieve clinical success and positively impact their health. Studies show that those who quit typically regain two-thirds of the weight they lost.
Novo Nordisk manufactures Ozempic and Wegovy, while Nestlé has introduced a new frozen food brand for GLP-1 users.
Accuracy
GLP-1 drugs rely on Semaglutide as an active ingredient which reduces users’ appetites.
If patients stop taking these medications, they are likely to regain much of the lost weight without careful diet and exercise changes.
Clinical data show patients regained two-thirds to three-quarters of the weight lost within the first year of stopping these drugs.
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy and a dichotomous depiction. It also mentions inflammatory rhetoric without providing evidence for the claims made.
. . . GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have been touted as quick ways to lose weight and avoid health problems associated with obesity, such as heart problems.
Some have even said that widespread use of the drugs could lead to economic growth, as poor health imposes significant economic costs.
One study released earlier this month suggested that Ozempic and Wegovy users could minimize that weight gain by gradually weaning themselves off of the drugs instead of quitting suddenly.
Jonathan Meyers, a digital strategist at an environmental nonprofit, lost 35 pounds on Zepbound.
Zepbound has been in short supply and hard to find.
People who cannot get the drug are struggling to maintain their weight loss.
Some people have turned to compound pharmacies for approximations of the drug online or tapered their doses.
Accuracy
GLP-1 drugs rely on Semaglutide as an active ingredient which reduces users’ appetites.
Users tend to shed between 15% to 20% of their weight on these injectable meds.
Deception
(30%)
The article contains selective reporting and emotional manipulation. The author focuses on the struggles of individuals who have had to stop taking obesity drugs due to shortages or other reasons, implying that these individuals are doomed to regain the weight they lost while on the drugs. This is a misrepresentation of clinical data, which show that only a small percentage of people are able to maintain significant weight loss after stopping these medications. The author also uses emotional language and anecdotes to manipulate readers' feelings towards these individuals and their struggles with obesity.
Many of these people that we’re hearing that from, don’t actually qualify for the strict criteria of the medicine.
The new obesity treatments act on the various hormonal and metabolic drivers of obesity. It would make sense that once we stop the therapy for those biological problems, that we would have relapse.
They felt it, they missed it, they were really distressed about it.
Fallacies
(85%)
The author makes an appeal to authority when quoting Dr. Eduardo Grunvald and Dr. Rekha Kumar about the potential for weight regain after stopping the use of obesity drugs. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing the 'biggest component' of people's struggles with weight loss as their 'hungry impulses.'
“It would make sense that once we stop the therapy for those biological problems, that we would have relapse,” says Dr. Eduardo Grunvald, director of the weight-management program at the University of California San Diego.
“We as humans – it’s evolutionary to want to store this fat and want to keep it on.”
30% of patients ditch the weight-loss drug after just four weeks.
People between the ages of 18 to 34 and those in underserved health regions are more likely to drop out sooner.
Accuracy
Most people stop taking the weight-loss drugs within a year.
Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting and constipation.
Individuals with monthly costs lower than $60 are significantly more likely to stay on the meds compared to people paying more.
Deception
(30%)
The article makes several statements that could be considered deceptive or misleading. The title implies that there is only one mistake being revealed in the study, when in fact the study finds that most people are stopping their weight-loss drugs too soon. This is a form of sensationalism and selective reporting. Additionally, the article states that 'People tend to shed 15% to 20% of their weight on these injectable meds,' but it does not provide any sources for this claim or context as to how this was determined. This is an example of unsupported assertions and selective reporting.
The No. 1 mistake that weight-loss drug users are making is revealed in new study
People tend to shed 15% to 20% of their weight on these injectable meds
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority and inflammatory rhetoric. It also uses a dichotomous depiction of weight-loss drug users.
. . . more than 30% of patients ditch it after just four weeks, a new report from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association finds.
People tend to shed 15% to 20% of their weight on these injectable meds, although about ⅓ of users lose only around 10%.
The authors noted that people may stop treatment before six weeks because of early side effects. . .
Bias
(95%)
The author does not demonstrate any clear bias in the article. However, there is a disproportionate number of quotes that reflect the importance of staying on weight-loss drugs for an extended period to achieve clinical success. This could potentially be seen as a monetary bias if it's assumed that the author or site benefits financially from people staying on these medications longer.
Most people stop taking the weight-loss drugs within a year, research has found.
People tend to shed 15% to 20% of their weight on these injectable meds, although about 50% of users lost only around 10%
Studies show that those who quit these drugs typically regain two-thirds of the weight they lost.
Doctors are devising regimens to switch patients to cheaper, older alternatives like topiramate, phentermine, metformin, and bupropion/naltrexone for long-term weight maintenance.
Long-term data on older drugs is sparse due to the lack of interest from companies in funding expensive trials that follow patients for several years.
Patients who switch from GLP-1 to older drugs have varying outcomes, with some maintaining weight through diet and exercise while others find the older pills ineffective.
Accuracy
Ozempic and other obesity drugs are meant to be taken for life or possibly a lifetime.
The average cost of these obesity drugs is more than $1,000 a month out of pocket.
Deception
(30%)
The article makes several statements that imply the need for patients to take GLP-1 drugs indefinitely, but it does not provide any evidence or references to support this claim. This is an example of selective reporting and editorializing. The author also mentions that some doctors are exploring the idea of using older, less expensive alternatives for long-term weight maintenance, but she does not disclose any studies or research on the effectiveness and safety of these alternatives. This is another example of selective reporting.
Now I’ve got to figure out, well, how do I treat them?
These drugs are meant to be taken for life, possibly for a lifetime.
More than a quarter of patients have quit GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic after three months.
By a year from first use, over a third of patients have stopped taking these medications.
The price tag is a significant factor in discontinuation: Wegovy costs about $1,300 per month.
Each one-percentage point increase in out-of-pocket cost per month was associated with increased odds of discontinuation.
Obese individuals without type 2 diabetes were more likely to have stopped using their GLP-1 drug within a year compared to those with type 2 diabetes (50.3% vs 34.2%).
People living in poorer areas were more likely to stop using their GLP-1 medication than users in affluent areas.
Gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, increase the likelihood of quitting weight-loss medications.
Accuracy
Over a third of patients have stopped taking these medications by a year from first use.
