BY EMILY LINCKE & JESSICA SHORTEN
Ozempic and Zepbound are some of the names of a class of medicines known as Glucagon-like peptide 1 drugs, which can be prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes or obesity and have rapidly grown in popularity, according to Houston-area doctors. A new request by Ozempic manufacturer Novo Nordisk could limit a type of GLP-1—semaglutides— for local clinics and pharmacies. This shift comes amid safety concerns regarding compounded versions of the drugs and could cause price increases, medical professionals say. “A large concern is the lack of evidence for safety and ecacy of these compounded versions,” said Dr. Deborah Horn, director of obesity medicine at UTHealth Houston. Novo Nordisk spokesperson Eric Altho said the move to prevent other pharmacies from recreating their own versions of the drug is meant to protect the safety of patients who use semaglutide. “Semaglutide products t this description due to their inherent complexity and the potential dangers associated with attempting to compound them,” Altho said. Demand rising for semaglutides
A closer look at GLP 1 drugs
adults have used GLP-1 drugs to lose weight or treat a chronic condition—such as diabetes or heart disease.
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$10.7B was spent nationally on semaglutides in 2021. A 300% increase in GLP-1 prescriptions was seen from the beginning of 2020 to the end of 2022. 22% of adults who have taken GLP-1 drugs received them from an online provider, website, medical spa or aesthetic medical center. 392 reports of adverse events with compounded semaglutide have been reported to the Food and Drug Administration in 2024.
GLP-1 drugs perform a number of functions including:
Targeting receptors in the brain to lessen cravings/hunger A
Side eects of GLP-1 drugs can include: • Nausea/vomiting • Diarrhea • Abdominal pain • Constipation
Slowing food down as it travels through the gut, keeping patients feeling fuller longer
B
Increasing the release of insulin
C
A
GLP-1 use
To treat a chronic condition* 39%
To lose weight 38%
B
SOURCES: KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION SURVEY, U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, UH COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, THE MAYO CLINIC, TRILLIANT HEALTH COMMUNITY IMPACT
Both 23%
*NOTE: EXAMPLES OF “CHRONIC CONDITIONS” LISTED IN THE KFF SURVEYS ARE DIABETES OR HEART DISEASE.
C
The cost
Zooming out
What they're saying
The average cost of GLP-1 drugs ranges from $936-$1,023 for a one-month supply, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. However, Horn said the production of com- pounded versions of semaglutides provides a ordable access. “If the compounding pharmacies could demonstrate the ecacy and safety to the FDA, I would welcome the scenario as it would force the price of the patented drugs to come down,” Horn said.
Dr. Jason Balette, medical director over weight loss surgery at Memorial Hermann The Wood- lands, said he believes the rise in obesity in the population has created more desire for quick weight loss options. “What’s interesting to me is the transition from patients that will jump on a semaglutide or go down that pathway of trying to obtain a semaglutide and then reverting back to surgery,” Balette said. However, Dr. Tyler J. Varisco, assistant director at the University of Houston’s College of Pharmacy, expressed concerns that the widespread availability of compounded semaglutides has reduced the amount of available products for those struggling with diabetes and medical weight loss issues. “Health equity is important, and we want these drugs to be available to people who actually need them,” Varisco said. “I hate to see when we have national organizations … and some of these bigger telehealth providers that … just write these medications for anybody, and then patients who are treated by local providers, who have had a quality visit, who have been assessed—they su er.”
“These drugs are inherently complex to compound safely, and the risks they pose to patient safety far outweigh any benets.” ERIC ALTHOFF,
SPOKESPERSON, NOVO NORDISK
Cost of various GLP-1 brands*
Ozempic injection $936 Wegovy injection $1,349
Rybelsus tablet $936 Mounjaro injection $1,023
“At the end of the day, we have the public health to worry about,
and I think access will remain ... important.” DR. TYLER J. VARISCO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON’S COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
Insurance coverage for GLP-1 drugs
19%
Insurance covered full cost Insurance covered part of cost Full cost paid by user
57%
24%
*AS OF AUG. 15, 2023
SOURCE: KFFCOMMUNITY IMPACT
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CY FAIR EDITION
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