2023: the year of the weight-loss drug craze

Weight-loss drugs have a shaky history. But this year, a new generation of medications showed surprising promise — and then took the world by storm. Drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro existed as treatments for Type 2 diabetes long before 2023, but doctors found that these treatments were surprisingly effective in helping people shed weight. Amid rumors of celebrity Ozempic parties, demand for the drugs has surged so high manufacturers have struggled to keep pharmacies stocked. Some think the drugs could be a key to fighting obesity and chronic weight gain. Still, some experts warn they are not miracle drugs. 

A booming market for weight loss drugs 

Semaglutide and tirzepatide are part of a class of drugs known as GLP-1 agonists, which have more than 15 years of history as treatments for diabetes. More recently, the drugs spiked in popularity as doctors discovered their off-label use for weight loss. Semaglutide can be found in diabetes medication Ozempic and its weight loss counterpart Wegovy, both produced by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. Tirzepatide is the active ingredient of Mounjaro, Eli Lily's diabetes treatment. Last month, the FDA approved Zepbound, Eli Lily's new drug for chronic weight management that also employs tirzepatide, per CNN. 

The surge in popularity of these drugs has drastically outpaced the drug manufacturer's expectations, leading to shortages. Other drug makers see the earning potential and are rushing to join "what's been a two-horse race to make blockbuster obesity drugs," Tina Reed wrote for Axios. Competitors are "snapping up smaller biotechs" and vying for space in a market "that could be worth tens of billions in less than a decade," Reed added. The market is projected to reach about $100 billion by 2030 and "is ripe for new entrants, as drugmakers struggle to keep up with demand," she pointed out. 

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However popular, the drugs are not without their share of controversy. Popularity among celebrities and social media influencers has exponentially driven the demand for these medicines. That can be troubling, especially when this demographic is taking Ozempic or Mounjaro off-label because demand has made the drug hard to obtain for people with diabetes. The medications have also been linked to adverse side effects such as gastrointestinal problems or thyroid tumors. Plus, the price is almost astronomical, clocking in at $900 to $1300 per month, and not all insurers cover the cost. Taking the drug is also a lifetime commitment, and the lack of data about long-term effects gives some people pause.

The answer to the obesity crisis

The drugs are highly effective for losing weight, and some medical professionals feel like they could be a key to solving a looming global obesity crisis. In a March report, the World Obesity Federation predicted that 51% of the world would be obese or overweight in the next 12 years unless a serious intervention happens. This new class of injectibles has been touted as the miracle that could turn that tide. One study found that tirzepatide helped subjects lose at least 20% of their body weight. "No drug has ever before shown such a profound weight loss," The New York Times reported. 

Up until fairly recently, it would be hard to imagine two drugs "that lead to weight loss that previously was only seen when people had bariatric surgery," Susan Yanovski, co-director of the office of obesity research at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, told the Times. Doctors treating people with conditions that can cause chronic weight gain also see the value of the drugs. Some psychiatrists are turning to weight loss shots to treat the weight gain tied to medications like lithium, antipsychotics, and antidepressants. Some doctors are also opening up to prescribing the drugs to combat the weight gain associated with menopause. 

Others are wary of labeling these drugs as a miracle cure without considering all of the nuances of chronic weight gain and obesity. "The truth is that Ozempic can't solve the obesity crisis in America," Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, obesity expert and Harvard Medical School professor, and Simar Bajaj, journalist and Harvard student, wrote in Time. There are several factors, "including genetics, mental health, socioeconomic status and environmental influences," that contribute to obesity. Despite showing so much promise, GLP-1 drugs "target only one factor — hormonal imbalances — and can't solve for all the other problems," they noted. The drugs have the potential to help a lot of people, but they are "not the panacea the media has made them out to be," they said, "and we must resist the temptation to oversimplify the issue."