More than one in four US adults with diabetes used one of the injectable medicines that target the GLP-1 protein last year, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday. The wildly popular and effective GLP-1 drugs Mounjaro from Eli Lilly and Ozempic from Novo Nordisk are approved in the United States for treating type 2 diabetes. They are sold as Zepbound and Wegovy, respectively, for weight loss and are being tested for other conditions. Use of the injectable drugs was highest among adults with diabetes aged 50–64 at 33.3 percent, reflecting the more significant disease burden in this group, the report said. A quarter or 25.3 percent of adults with diabetes aged 18 to 34 reported using a GLP-1 drug, while the adoption rate was 20.8 percent among those 65 and older. The data are from a nationally representative annual survey of US adults aged 18 and older that was conducted in person and with follow-up by phone in 2024. In 2024, for the first time, participants in the annual survey who had diabetes were asked if they were using the Lilly or Novo blockbusters or other GLP-1 drugs to lower blood sugar or lose weight. The drugs mimic the activity of a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, slows digestion and helps people feel full for longer. Drugmakers Lilly and Novo have faced criticism about the cost of the treatments, which carry a list price of about $1,000 for a month’s supply. Roughly 31 percent of survey participants who reported using insulin also reported using GLP-1 drugs, as did about 28 percent of patients who were using oral drugs to control their blood sugar, according to the report, indicating that these treatments are being integrated into combination regimens. Hispanic adults with diabetes had the highest rate of GLP-1 use, at 31.3 percent, followed by Black non-Hispanic and White non-Hispanic adults, at 26.5 percent and 26.2 percent, respectively, the survey found. Only 12.1 percent of Asian non-Hispanic adults with diabetes used the drugs, which may reflect disparities in access or adoption of the therapies.

One in four US adults with diabetes used GLP-1 injections in 2024: CDC

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that over 25% of US adults with diabetes used GLP-1 injectable medications in 2024. These drugs, including Mounjaro from Eli Lilly and Ozempic from Novo Nordisk, are approved for type 2 diabetes management and are also used for weight loss under brand names Zepbound and Wegovy. Usage was highest among adults aged 50–64 at 33.3%, followed by those aged 18–34 at 25.3% and those 65 and older at 20.8%. Hispanic adults had the highest adoption rate at 31.3%, while Asian non-Hispanic adults had the lowest at 12.1%. The data comes from a nationally representative 2024 survey of US adults with diabetes, which included questions on the use of GLP-1 drugs for blood sugar control or weight loss. The drugs work by mimicking a hormone that regulates blood sugar, slows digestion, and promotes satiety. About 31% of insulin users and 28% of oral drug users also used GLP-1 drugs, indicating integration into combination therapies. Drugmakers have faced criticism over high costs, with monthly list prices around $1,000.