Obesity drugs pose a big challenge for health care equity

Weight loss treatments have the potential to revolutionize health care in rich countries. They are driving a race among drugmakers for a slice of a market that could exceed $100 billion by 2030. But little thought has apparently been given to helping people in low- and middle-income countries, where obesity rates are soaring despite poor nutrition.

Without decisive action to develop fair access plans to these drugs for people living in poorer countries, there is a real danger that a significant medical advance will end up increasing inequality in health care. This is especially true if the rush to fund obesity research and development diverts research and development resources from other important unmet medical needs.

There is little doubt that anti-obesity medicines like Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide (Wegovy) and Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide (Zepbound), which work by mimicking the gut hormone GLP-1 to suppress appetite, offer important health benefits. This is underscored by data from clinical trials involving overweight people with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But demand for these products is also being fueled by celebrity endorsements and the marketing efforts of the pharmaceutical industry.

Read the full op-ed on the STAT website.