How We Think About GLP-1s

A zoom call featuring clinical leaders talking about the potential implications of GLP-1s was held this week. One subject discussed was the disconnect on how long people will need to be on the medicine. Turns out 81.3% of 3,608 adult men and women we polled who take GLP-1s say they assume that it will likely be short-term, up to 1-3 years, a stark difference from the 77% who also take a blood pressure medicine and/or statin but assume they will, in fact, take it forever. GLP-1 adoption and the ripple effect of it in reducing inflammation, pain, asthma flare ups, the noise around craving alcohol, and even cancer risk are among the potential huge wins from the therapy, but there is still a disconnect over the longevity of the medicine.  Insurers, for their part, are trying to hold the line on access and it is likely creating equity issues - people with enough money can get it, others can’t afford to—although 20% polled say they are interested in getting an outcomes portal or flow of information from clinicians that could help determine the ROI and elevate coverage and access. Four clinicians shared their experience with me during Wednesday’s “Cascading Effects of GLP-1s” zoom.  Check it out by clicking here in case you missed: