Access is unequal to weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy: study

Prescriptions for blockbuster drugs that treat diabetes, obesity and heart disease are soaring, but the mix of payers shows access to the drugs is far from equitable, per a study published in JAMA Health Forum.

Why it matters: Patients on Medicare and Medicaid appear less likely to be able to access the drugs than those with private coverage.

What they found: The UCLA-led study found a 442% increase in scripts for semaglutide — the active ingredient in diabetes drug Ozempic and anti-obesity and heart disease drug Wegovy — between January 2021 and December 2023.

• There were 2.6 million prescription fills in December 2023 but less than 10% of Ozempic or Wegovy prescriptions went to patients with Medicaid, per the data from IQVIA’s National Prescription Audit PayerTrak.
• Less than 30% of Ozempic prescriptions and only 1.2% of Wegovy prescriptions were filled for patients on Medicare Part D plans.
• Roughly 1% or less went to people paying cash.

What they’re saying: “If only certain patient populations get access to these medications — those primarily with private insurance, more generous health plans — then there’s a huge percentage of the U.S. population that isn’t getting access to these medications,” said lead author Christopher Scannell.

• “That brings up a very significant equity issue.”