A recent study led by researchers at Yale School of Public Health and the University of Florida suggests that expanding access to new, highly effective weight-loss medications could potentially prevent over 40,000 deaths annually in the United States. This underscores the urgent need to eliminate existing barriers that limit people’s access to effective weight loss treatments, obstructing public health efforts to combat the national obesity crisis.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 74% of Americans are overweight, with around 43% of them classified as obese.
The profound impact of obesity on health is widely acknowledged, as it contributes to the development of serious conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Despite the severity of these consequences, effective treatments for obesity have been scarce.
However, recent advancements in pharmaceutical interventions, particularly the introduction of medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and tirzepatide, have shown significant efficacy in promoting weight loss. These promising medications have been increasingly utilized for weight management, based on positive results from clinical trials.
In their study, researchers sought to quantify the potential impact on mortality of increased access to these weight-loss drugs. They incorporated data on mortality risk associated with various body mass index (BMI) categories, obesity prevalence, and the current limitations on drug access due to high costs and insurance restrictions.
Expanding access to these new medications could potentially save up to 42,027 lives annually in the U.S. This estimate includes around 11,769 deaths among individuals with type 2 diabetes, a group particularly vulnerable to obesity-related complications. Even with limited access, approximately 8,592 lives are saved each year, primarily among those with private insurance.
The study underscores a critical inequality in drug access. The high cost of these medications, which can surpass $1,000 per month without insurance, greatly limits their availability. For instance, Medicare, one of the largest insurance programs for older adults, does not cover these drugs for weight loss, affecting many who could benefit from them. Medicaid coverage varies widely by state, and private insurance often imposes high deductibles and copays, further hindering access, according to the researchers.
“Expanding access to these medications is not just a matter of improving treatment options but also a crucial public health intervention,” said Dr. Alison P. Galvani, PhD, one of the study’s corresponding authors and the Burnett and Stender Families Professor of Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases) at the Yale School of Public Health. “Our findings underscore the potential to reduce mortality significantly by addressing financial and coverage barriers.”
The study also delved into the potential impact of expanded access on different regions and socioeconomic groups. States with high rates of obesity and diabetes, such as West Virginia, Mississippi, and Oklahoma, could experience the greatest benefits from increased medication availability. In these areas, expanding access could result in the most significant per capita reductions in mortality.
However, the study’s authors urge caution, noting that while the potential benefits are significant, several challenges persist. The high cost of these medications presents a major barrier, and concerns about the pharmaceutical industry’s profit margins exist. Additionally, supply constraints and production limitations continue to impede widespread availability.
“Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach,” said Dr. Burton H. Singer, PhD, another corresponding author of the study and adjunct professor of mathematics at the Emerging Pathogens Institute at the University of Florida. “We need to ensure that drug prices are more aligned with manufacturing costs and increase production capacity to meet demand. At the same time, we must tackle the insurance and accessibility issues that prevent many people from getting the treatment they need.”
The researchers also took into account the influence of socioeconomic factors on the efficacy of increased drug availability. They made adjustments to their calculations to accommodate income inequalities, and even with these adjustments, the potential for saving lives remains substantial.
The findings indicate that enhancing access to these medications could lead to a reduction in healthcare expenses related to obesity-related conditions and contribute to an overall improvement in the quality of life for numerous Americans.
Journal reference:
- Abhishek Pandey, Yang Ye, Chad R. Wells, Burton H. Singer, Alison P. Galvani. Estimating the lives that could be saved by expanded access to weight-loss drugs. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2024; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2412872121
