If approved, obesity drugs like Wegovy would be available to 7 million Americans, with potentially positive implications for healthspan.
The ongoing excitement over obesity drugs shows no signs of abating, with Amgen announcing its GLP-1 treatment demonstrated a 20% average weight loss in Phase 2 trials, followed almost immediately by President Biden proposing expanded Medicare and Medicaid coverage for GLP-1 drugs.
Currently, Medicare only covers GLP-1s for diabetes treatment, such as Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, with Medicaid coverage varying by state. But the impact of obesity extends far beyond diabetes and is linked to a host of serious health consequences such as cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis and some cancers. If the proposed expansion happens, it is thought around seven million Americans could benefit from improved access to weight loss treatments like Wegovy, reducing out of pocket expenses by up to 95%.
Reacting to the announcement, Dr Eric Verdin, president of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, told us it was “amazing news”.
“I’m completely behind this proposal,” he said. “Obviously with any new drugs for which we don’t have 30 years of experience, there are always some concerns around the potential long-term implications of this, but in terms of what the drugs are doing, they seem to be a first response to a growing problem in the US.
“There is currently a global epidemic of obesity, which is responsible for a decrease in in average life expectancy in the US. If we want to increase healthspan and lifespan for everyone, we cannot ignore this huge obesity problem. So, for me, this is completely aligned with what the longevity field is trying to do.”
In addition to their demonstrated ability to reduce body weight, GLP-1 agonists are gaining significant attention for their potential role in promoting longevity. Beyond supporting weight loss and diabetes prevention, the medications have shown promise in reducing cardiovascular risks, offering neuroprotective benefits, and even aiding in the treatment of addiction.
The regulation is set to take effect in 2026, contingent on support from the incoming Trump administration. This is far from guaranteed, of course, with Robert F Kennedy Jr, Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary, known to be a strong advocate for addressing obesity through dietary changes rather than medication.
Verdin is also keen to stress that increasing access to GLP-1 treatments should not replace the country’s efforts to increase the quality of its food.
“One does not exclude the other – the two go hand in hand,” he told us. “The nightmare situation is that someone would use Wegovy to continue using an extremely unhealthy diet.”
“There is some interesting data, which suggest the GLP-1s may increase users’ appetite for healthy food. This would be remarkable, and really speaks to the central effect that these drugs are having, but it should not mask the huge problem that we have: the quality of food and the prevalence of ultra processed food in the American diet.”
