Researchers found that people taking Ozempic and Wegovy stopped their medications more often if they were young, male, or lived in poorer areas.
Millions take GLP-1 receptor agonists to reduce appetite and lose weight, but half abandon the drugs within one year, according to a Danish study.
Dropout Rates Highlight Challenges
Danish researchers analysed data from 77,000 people without diabetes using anti-obesity drugs. They discovered that 52 percent discontinued treatment within 12 months.
Eighteen percent quit within three months, 31 percent within six months, and 42 percent by nine months.
Professor Reimar W. Thomsen of Aarhus University said, “These medications lose all appetite control benefits once stopped. They need long-term use to work effectively.”
Side Effects, Cost, and Demographics Drive Quitting
Patients with chronic health issues or prior gastrointestinal or psychiatric medication use quit more frequently, likely due to side effects like nausea or vomiting.
Adults under 30 were 48 percent more likely to stop than those aged 45 to 59. People living in low-income areas quit 14 percent more often than residents in affluent regions.
High costs may discourage adherence. In Denmark, a month’s supply of Ozempic costs up to €313 without diabetes coverage, compared with €120 in Germany.
Long-Term Support Can Improve Outcomes
Thomsen stressed the importance of helping patients adhere to medications, which reduce risks of heart disease, cancer, and addiction.
“With over half of European adults overweight or obese, identifying patients who benefit most and supporting adherence improves health outcomes and quality of life,” he said.
The study’s findings will appear at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting in Vienna.
