New weight loss drugs have piqued public interest, survey finds

Let the insurers pay!

That’s the word from a new survey by Kaiser Family Foundation. Respondents were asked to share their views on the emerging line of weight-loss drugs flowing from pharmaceutical labs. They are curious about them, want to know more, and ultimately want insurance companies to cover the cost to the consumer as the pills and injectable products make their way into the marketplace.

The poll was designed to gauge “the public’s interest in using prescription drugs to lose weight as a relatively new class of drugs, initially approved to treat diabetes, is garnering attention for their potential to aid weight loss,” KFF said. Among these new diabetes/weight fighters are Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. With health care providers and plan sponsors becoming increasingly focused on treating chronic illnesses such as diabetes, a product that addresses weight loss as well has become much ballyhooed due to the U.S. obesity crisis.

But are consumers ready for them? That’s what KFF wanted to know.

In answer to the first question – ”How much have you heard, if anything, about a new class of drugs being used for weight loss?” — awareness is fairly strong. Overall, 70% of respondents said they had heard of the new drugs.

When asked if they would think about using such a drug for weight loss if it proved to be safe and effective, the response was less than enthusiastic. Among all respondents, 45% said they would consider it. More women (51%) than men (38%) exhibited such interest.

Interest was higher among people attempting to lose weight, with 59% saying they would be interested. Slightly more than half of those seeking to slim down by 10 pounds or less also said they’d give the drugs a shot.

The enthusiasm fell further when barriers to easy access to the drugs were raised.

“About 1 in 6 say they would remain interested if it were not covered by their insurance or if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had not approved the drug for weight loss but for a different condition. A similar share (14%) say they would still be interested if they might gain back the weight they lost if they stopped taking the drug,” KFF said.

When it came to footing the bill, 80% of respondents said insurers should pick up the tab “for adults who have been diagnosed as overweight or obese.” Half of adults think insurers should cover the cost for anyone who wants to lose weight. Perhaps surprisingly, 50% said they wanted insurers to pay “even if it could increase monthly insurance premiums for everyone.”

The poll also asked respondents about the price and affordability of prescription drugs in general. Here, people complained about the cost of drugs and blamed gouging by insurers for the high prices of many drugs. Among the responses:

• 28% said it was hard to pay for prescription drugs, and 31% said the cost of their drugs negatively affected their adherence to a prescribed drug.
• 83% pointed to drug companies’ profits as a major factor contributing to the price of prescription drugs. By political party, 89% of Republicans blamed the high cost on excess profits, while 84% of Democrats cited Big Pharma’s bottom line. Independents were less likely to cite a link between excess profits and cost, although the percentage was still high (78%).

Related: Despite high prices, covering effective weight-loss drugs may save money in long run

• 73% called for increased regulatory restraints on prescription drug prices, up from 63% in May 2021.