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Prescriptions for the two best-known weight-loss medicines, semaglutide (the drug behind brand names like Ozempic and Wegovy) and tirzepatide (sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound), are rising and look set to keep growing into 2025. Business reporting says more doctors are prescribing these drugs and more people are taking them, which is changing how clinics, drugmakers and insurers plan for the near future. Semaglutide and tirzepatide are both injectable medicines that copy natural signals your body uses to control appetite and digestion. Semaglutide mimics a gut hormone that tells your brain you’re full and slows how fast your stomach empties. Tirzepatide does something similar but hits two hormone pathways at once, which can boost the feeling of fullness and help lower blood sugar. In short: they make you eat less and burn or store calories differently than before. The reporting is about prescription trends and market growth, not a single clinical trial. It’s based on sales, prescribing data and industry forecasts showing demand has surged since these drugs proved effective for weight loss and diabetes control. Studies in humans have shown substantial average weight loss over months for many people who use these medicines under medical supervision. But prescription growth data doesn’t tell us that everyone succeeds, how long benefits last after stopping the drug, or how individual outcomes vary. This matters because wider use changes real-life things: more people might lose weight and improve health markers like blood sugar and blood pressure, which could reduce diabetes and heart disease over time. It also affects access and cost. As more people want these drugs, waitlists at specialty clinics can grow and insurers may rethink coverage, copays or eligibility rules. Employers, health systems and drug companies will be watching because the demand affects pricing, supply and who can actually get treatment. There are important caveats. These medicines are not magic pills. They work best with medical oversight, lifestyle support and for many, long-term use. Side effects can include nausea, diarrhea, and rarely more serious digestive or gallbladder problems. We don’t yet know the long-term effects of using them broadly for years in otherwise healthy people. Some people shouldn’t take them—pregnant people, for example, are typically advised not to use them—and they require a prescription and doctor supervision. Insurance coverage varies, so cost can be a major barrier. Bottom line: prescriptions for semaglutide and tirzepatide are climbing and likely to keep rising into 2025, which could help many people but also raises questions about access, cost, long-term use and safety that we’re still figuring out.
Source: BusinessWorld Online