The first GLP-1 drugs were approved for chronic weight management in 2014; however, it wasn’t until 2021, when Novo Nordisk got approval for semaglutide (Wegovy) (a stronger and more effective GLP-1) for weight management, that these drugs saw a meteoric rise in popularity. Even those for which weight loss is considered merely a “side effect” (including Ozempic and Mounjaro) have seen widespread off-label prescription. And it’s no wonder: these drugs are highly effective at treating obesity.
They have other applications, as well: in March 2024, the FDA approved semaglutide (Wegovy) for adults with cardiovascular diseases and obesity / overweight. Early studies suggest it may also be helpful in treating addiction.
But these medications remain expensive – more than $16,000 per patient per year, in some cases, and insurance coverage varies. Both individuals interested in the benefits of GLP-1s and the employers who fund their healthcare feel the impact of these high costs (though Novo Nordisk recently announced a price cut for Wegovy, partly in response to competition from Eli Lilly’s Zepbound).
That’s not all, either: a recent survey we conducted with the Harris Poll found that 86 percent of people who take GLP-1s experience side effects, including nausea, diarrhea, and constipation. These side effects can translate to additional costs for employers in the form of absenteeism and lost productivity.
Read on for the details, along with insight about how employers can support employees’ wellness journeys in a way that maintains productivity.
The Enormous Demand for GLP-1s
Demand for GLP-1s quadrupled between 2020 and 2022 and continued to grow in 2023, to the point that the FDA added two name brands (Ozempic and Wegovy) to the drug shortage list it maintains.
Our survey revealed that one group in particular has embraced these medications: 18- to 34-year olds. Per our research, 20 percent of adults this age have taken a GLP-1 in the last six months. That’s more than twice the rate of adults 45 and older (nine percent) and 25 percent higher than the rate of all respondents (16 percent).
Given that less than five percent of the 18-to-34 set has diabetes, it’s safe to assume that many people taking GLP-1s in this group are doing so for their weight management benefits.
For employers, this popularity likely comes, as we mentioned, with high costs. Let’s put that aside for a moment, though, to look at the related consideration that our survey revealed: medication side effects that might impact employee performance.
The Workplace Impact of GLP-1 Side Effects
While semaglutide, tirzepatide, and liraglutide drugs are highly impactful for weight management, they’re not without side effects. Our survey found that, among the 16 percent of the population that had taken these drugs in the last six months, side effects occurred at the following rates:
- Headaches: 34%
- Gas: 33%
- Nausea: 28%
- Diarrhea: 24%
- Dizziness: 23%
- Constipation: 23%
All of these have implications for productivity. We’ll release more details when we publish our full report in June (register here to be the first to receive a copy), but the high-level finding is that GI complications lead to decreased productivity in the workplace.
In other words, about 14 percent of your overall workforce and 17 percent of 18- to 34-year-old employees are on medication that’s expensive both upfront (because of the drugs’ cost) and on the back end (because of the drugs’ side effects).
Given the likelihood that GLP-1s will continue to grow in popularity, these numbers should be ringing alarm bells for employers seeking to manage healthcare costs. Luckily, there are established avenues for avoiding unnecessary expenses while still providing em ployees with the wellness benefits they want and need.
Weight Management Alternatives to GLP-1s
One reason GLP-1s are so popular is that they work for weight loss. That’s significant: in the US, weight management is an industry worth more than $190 billion, which speaks to the perpetual challenge that weight loss presents.
One way to make that journey less challenging is to provide adequate support to those undertaking it. That support can take many forms. For example, members of GI Thrive, our technology-enabled platform for delivering personalized clinical solutions gut first, are assigned a dedicated registered dietitian licensed in their state who provides Medical Nutrition Therapy and personalized meal planning to support sustainable weight loss.
Members may also receive cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) from platform health coaches. CBT has been shown to support weight management and maintenance through personalized strategies that focus on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors around weight, food, and lifestyles that support weight management.
While changing behavior is always difficult, GIThrive aims to make it easier by supporting members with education, personalized care plans, and a team of clinicians who work collaboratively throughout a member’s wellness journey.
Holistic Care As an Antidote to Spiraling Healthcare Costs
When medications like GLP-1s are the best choice for an individual, taking a holistic approach to wellness can help patients achieve their wellness goals, prevent side effects from derailing their progress, and keep costs in check in the process. GIThrive is designed to deliver such holistic experiences.
For example, a GIThrive member looking to lose weight as part of their overall wellness goals might be prescribed a GLP-1 by a physician on the platform, but they will also be equipped with information about the side effects associated with this drug and support for mitigating these side effects (including Medical Nutrition Therapy to manage side effects and CBT to develop new habits).
This multi-pronged support is essential when treating obesity and overweight with medications like GLP-1s: GI side effects can lead to nonadherence, which can pose a major barrier to successful treatment if those side effects go unmanaged.
There’s reason to believe taking a more holistic approach might be exactly what employees are looking for: two-thirds of survey respondents who reported occasional GI symptoms wish their employer offered benefits or resources to help them manage those symptoms.
Rising Healthcare Costs are the Symptom of a Fragmented Approach to Healthcare
It’s natural for the latest scientific treatments to capture interest from the many people whose lives they can improve. But it’s also true that there are no magic pills.
The most impactful healthcare solutions will always be those that take the full person into account and offer them resources that account for the many factors that affect health and wellness, including physiological symptoms, the emotional impact of those symptoms, access to information and resources, access to expertise, and more.
GLP-1s are the exciting new medication for obesity on the market today. The employers who are best able to manage the costs of these drugs – and whatever costly treatments emerge next – will be those who find ways to support their employees holistically and for the long term.
Want more insight about the workplace impact of GLP-1s? Register for our upcoming webinar, GLP-1s and Digestive Health, featuring Dr. Hau Liu, Chief Medical Officer at Vivante Health, Wednesday, May 15, 12:00 pm Central Time.