Here's why researchers think most people stop taking weight loss drugs within a year

Nearly 2 in 3 people who sought to lose weight quit popular weight loss and diabetes drugs such as Ozempic or Victoza within one year, according to a new study.

About 65% of those without diabetes discontinued the drugs in less than one year. Those with Type 2 diabetes were more likely to stay on the medication at least one year. And those with higher incomes and fewer side effects were also more likely to stay on the pricey drugs, according to a study published Friday in JAMA Network Open.

The higher quit rate among non-diabetes patients is likely due to cost, according to researchers from Truveta, a Bellevue, Washington-based medical research company that teamed up with University of Pennsylvania on the study.

While health insurers widely cover this class of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) medications for diabetes, insurers often don't pay for these drugs for weight loss. List prices exceed $1,000 per month and spotty insurance coverage means many consumers struggle to afford the medications, researchers said.

The study, which was based off a review of computerized medical records, found patients with higher incomes were less likely to quit the medications.

"We were struck by the high rate of discontinuation," said Tricia Rodriguez, a Truveta research scientist and lead author of the study. "It really points to challenges with insurance and cost that make these drugs less accessible to patients without Type 2 diabetes."

People with fewer side effects, better results stick with these drugs longer

The study analyzed records of more than 125,000 adults who began taking the GLP-1 drugs liraglutide, semaglutide, or tirzepatide between January 2018 and December 2023. These drugs are prescribed for weight loss or diabetes under different brand names.

Novo Nordisk sells the drug semaglutide under the brands Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for weight loss. The company's older weight loss drug, liraglutide, is marketed as Victoza for diabetes and Saxenda for weight loss. Because Eli Lilly's tirzepatide did not hit the market as Mounjaro for diabetes until 2022 and Zepbpund for weight loss until 2023, the study had a small number of people on this medication.

The study calculated quit rates for those with or without diabetes.

Side effects for the dugs also prompted some to quit the medications. People who had moderate or severe digestive side effects were more likely to stop the medications. In severe cases, patients have sued drugmakers contending the medications led to lasting harms.

The study found results matter for patients. Those who trimmed more pounds were more likely to stick with the drugs. And those who regained weight after halting the medications were more likely to give the drugs a second try.

Patients often struggle to afford medications

Many employers offer limited health insurance coverage for obesity medications. Some states such as North Carolina have dropped obesity drug coverage for employees and their families. Just 1% of Affordable Care Act marketplace plans last year covered these drugs for obesity, according to a June analysis by KFF, a nonprofit health policy organization.

Medicare, the federal health program for adults 65 and over, restricts coverage to those with diabetes or a heart condition.

Last November, the Biden administration unveiled a plan to extend obesity drug coverage to more than 7 million Medicare and Medicaid enrollees beginning in 2026. But the Trump administration would need to finalize the rule and figure out how to pay the roughly $40 billion price tag. U.S. Department of Health and Human officials have not commented on this proposal.

Ezekiel Emanuel, co-director of Healthcare Transformation Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, said the potential of these weight loss drugs can only be achieved if people can afford and access the medications.

“This study sheds light on the challenges for real-world patients of staying on these medications and highlights the need to tackle barriers such as cost, insurance coverage, and equitable policies to ensure availability," Emanuel, a study co-author, said in a statement. "Without these measures, we risk widening health disparities and denying countless individuals the chance to improve their health and quality of life."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Most people quit Ozempic within one year. Here's why.