London: Nearly one in eight adults has taken a drug belonging to the GLP-1 class of drugs weight loss and related conditions, by a survey Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) shown on Fridays.

The data also revealed that 6 percent of those surveyed said they were currently using a GLP-1 drug, such as Novo Nordiskdiabetes medicine Ozempic or weight loss treatment wegovyOr Eli Lillyobesity medicine zepbound,

why is it important

The survey highlights the drugs’ growing popularity, even as Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk race to increase supplies of the treatment, which has faced intermittent shortages over the past year.

by numbers

The survey showed that awareness of the treatments has also increased, with nearly one-third of adults now saying they have heard “a lot” about these drugs, up from 19 percent in July last year.

Still, affordability remains a challenge. The survey showed that adults with annual household incomes of $90,000 or more are more likely than those with lower household incomes to say they have heard “a lot” about these drugs.

About 54 percent people have taken GLP-1 drugs Even with insurance they found it challenging to afford.

what will happen next

Companies are working to provide clinical evidence that their drugs have therapeutic benefits such as reducing the risk of stroke and heart attack in addition to diabetes and weight loss, which could expand insurance coverage. Is.

Treatment Prescription drug plans administered by private insurers, known as Part D, currently cannot cover drugs that are approved only for obesity.

Six in ten adults surveyed said Medicare should cover the cost of these drugs when prescribed for weight loss.

(Reporting by Pratik Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Taseem Zahid)