Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of JAMA Cardiology. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamacardio.2024.4657 Dr. Ivy Shi et al.
Points
- Over 137 million U.S. adults are eligible for semaglutide, primarily for weight loss (129.2 million), diabetes management (35 million), and cardiovascular disease prevention (8.9 million).
- As of 2023, only 15 million eligible adults (just over 10%) were using semaglutide despite its significant potential to improve public health.
- High costs remain a major barrier, with more than half of users finding semaglutide financially difficult to access. This highlights the need for strategies to reduce economic disparities.
- The drug’s applications are growing to include conditions like sleep apnea, chronic kidney disease, and heart failure, which may further increase its demand and associated healthcare costs.
- Policymakers and healthcare systems must develop equitable access strategies to manage semaglutide’s impact and ensure underserved populations benefit from its therapeutic potential.
Summary
In a recent analysis of national data, researchers at the Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Center for Outcomes Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) estimated that 137 million U.S. adults—more than half of all adults—are eligible for semaglutide. This medication, which belongs to the GLP-1 receptor agonist class, is approved for the management of diabetes, treatment of obesity, and prevention of recurrent cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes. The study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), analyzing information from 25,531 participants to identify adults who met current eligibility criteria for semaglutide based on approved indications. Of the 137 million eligible adults, 35 million qualify for diabetes management, 129.2 million for weight loss, and 8.9 million for secondary cardiovascular disease prevention.
The findings underscore the potential transformative impact of semaglutide on public health. As of 2023, approximately 15 million adults, or just over 10% of those eligible, were using semaglutide. This rapidly growing market made semaglutide the top-selling drug in the U.S., with net sales totaling $13.8 billion. Given the substantial number of eligible individuals, the study emphasizes the need for equitable access to semaglutide and related therapies, highlighting many patients’ challenges in affording these high-cost medications. Data show that more than half of individuals who have used semaglutide found it financially difficult to access, further emphasizing the urgency for interventions to reduce economic barriers.
The authors call for policymakers and clinicians to prioritize strategies that ensure widespread, equitable access to semaglutide, particularly for underserved populations. As the therapeutic indications for semaglutide expand—addressing conditions such as sleep apnea, chronic kidney disease, and certain types of heart failure—the potential for its widespread use and associated healthcare spending is expected to grow, necessitating proactive policy and healthcare system adjustments to manage its impact.
Link to the article: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2826358
References Shi, I., Khan, S. S., Yeh, R. W., Ho, J. E., Dahabreh, I. J., & Kazi, D. S. (2024). Semaglutide eligibility across all current indications for us adults. JAMA Cardiology. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamacardio.2024.4657
