Making GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs Affordable for 100 Million Americans Who Need Them | Research

The takeaway

Over 100 million US adults could benefit from GLP-1 obesity medications, but the cost of treating this population requires major market and policy reforms.

100+ million potential users
Over 40% of US adults have obesity and could benefit from GLP-1 medications, but the cost of treating this population is currently unsustainable

What the researchers found

While GLP-1 obesity medications are lifetime cost-effective, treating the 100+ million eligible US adults requires new market approaches and policy reforms to achieve affordable access.

Why it matters

The most effective obesity treatments in history are available but unaffordable for most people who need them. Without systemic solutions, these drugs will worsen health inequities rather than reduce them.

The numbers in context

Over 40% of US adults have obesity (100+ million potential users). GLP-1 drugs estimated cost-effective over lifetime. Analyzes emerging market approaches and policy reforms.

How the study worked

Policy analysis examining emerging market approaches and policy reforms for achieving affordable access to GLP-1 obesity medications in the US health system.

Who was studied

US adults with obesity

What this study cannot tell us

Policy analysis — proposed solutions are theoretical and face political, economic, and regulatory barriers to implementation.

How to read the evidence

Policy analysis and commentary — not a clinical study. Provides important economic and policy frameworks but the proposed solutions are untested.

When this study was published

Published in 2025, addressing the urgent and rapidly evolving question of GLP-1 drug affordability in the US.

The bigger picture

This is one of the defining healthcare economics challenges of the 2020s — how to make transformative but expensive medications accessible to the massive population that could benefit from them.

Questions still open

Which market reforms could most quickly reduce GLP-1 drug costs?
How should the US health system prioritize access when not all 100 million eligible patients can be treated simultaneously?

Common questions

Why are GLP-1 weight loss drugs so expensive?

GLP-1 drugs are biologics with complex manufacturing, patent protections, and high demand. With over 100 million potential US users, the total cost at current prices would be unsustainable for any health system, driving the need for market reforms and policy changes.

Will GLP-1 drugs become more affordable?

This paper analyzes several pathways including biosimilar competition, policy reforms, and market-based strategies that could lower costs. As patents expire and competition increases, prices are expected to decline, but how quickly depends on policy action.

Read the original research

Affordable access to GLP-1 obesity medications: strategies to guide market action and policy solutions in the US.

Journal of comparative effectiveness research, 14(9), e250083

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Pearson, Steven D; Whaley, Christopher M; Emond, Sarah K. (2025). Affordable access to GLP-1 obesity medications: strategies to guide market action and policy solutions in the US.. Journal of comparative effectiveness research, 14(9), e250083. https://doi.org/10.57264/cer-2025-0083