COLUMBIA, S.C. — The increasing demand for GLP-1 medications, such as Ozempic or Mounjaro, primarily designed for managing type 2 diabetes, has surged due to reports of significant weight loss associated with these drugs.
“I would say probably 20-50% more utilization, an uptick in prescribing of those,” says Deno Sebastian, owner of MediSave Phamaricies in Camden.
Dr. Sandra Wilson, an endocrinology specialist at Prisma Health, attributes this surge in demand to the remarkable success of these products in aiding weight loss.
"You see they are getting more potent and more successful with weight loss., and the ease of use—taking something initially twice a day as an injection was a lot of work, taking something now once a week is very easy," says Dr. Wilson.
Adding, "It really triggers that receptor which is how the gut communicates to the brain, to the pancreas, to the liver and how you actually deal with food that food is coming in and how to deal with it correctly,”.
However, Dr. Wilson cautions about the potential side effects of these medications, “The initial doses will have the greatest impact and you can sometimes see nausea and vomiting develop."
In addition to side effects, affordability and accessibility pose significant challenges. Many insurances may not cover these medications, and pharmacies often struggle to keep them in stock.
Sebastian mentions the difficulty in acquiring these drugs, stating, "It may take weeks, the medication will be on backorder."
Dr. Yemi Olatunde from Prisma Health reveals there are efforts by drug companies to address the accessibility issue, "They have told me they are opening more companies to produce more this medication by the beginning of this year but it’s been pushed back to the middle of the year due to some factors, so definitely these drug companies have to make more, you know to produce more, and open up more facilities.”
As the popularity of GLP-1 medications continues to soar, concerns persist regarding their accessibility, side effects, and affordability.