Data suggests that many people who use GLP-1 drugs semaglutide and liraglutide to treat obesity and diabetes are not staying on their weight-loss plans as long as what is recommended, according to an issue brief from Blue Health Intelligence. Typically, 12 weeks is the accepted guideline for achieving meaningful weight loss. Yet, an analysis of claims from 170,000 plan members found that about 58% of people using GLP-1 medications were on their treatment plan for less than 12 weeks. More than 30% ended treatment by 4 weeks, and 41% ended treatment by 8 weeks.
Then what? As more people use GLP-1 drugs, net treatment value will increasingly be judged by measurable outcomes. While the brief didn’t note why patients ended treatment early, the usual suspects may include treatment side effects, such as nausea or diarrhea, or early pessimism on the part of the patient questioning whether the treatment would actually lead to weight loss.