Expanding Access to Obesity Medications Could Avert 42,000 Deaths/Year

THURSDAY, Nov. 7, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Expanding access to obesity medications such as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and dual gastric inhibitory polypeptide and GLP-1 receptor agonists could avert 42,000 deaths annually in the United States, according to a study published online Oct. 15 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Abhishek Pandey, Ph.D., from the Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis at the Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Connecticut, and colleagues quantified the annual mortality burden directly attributable to limited access to GLP-1 receptor agonists and dual gastric inhibitory polypeptide and GLP-1 receptor agonists in the United States. The impact of making these medications accessible to all those eligible was estimated.

The researchers projected that more than 42,000 deaths could be averted annually, including more than 11,000 among those with type 2 diabetes, with expanded access.

“Our findings provide compelling evidence for the transformative impact that expanded access to these medications could have on improving the public health of the nation,” the authors write. “This underscores the urgency of addressing access barriers, including affordability, insurance coverage, and prescriber awareness. Such policies could galvanize a new era of American well-being and prosperity.”

Abstract/Full Text