Employees not responding to weight loss medication? Pharmacists can help

Diabetes medications used for weight loss, or GLP-1s, have been in the news for more than a year. Even today – more than a year later – health benefits programs receive an enormous number of questions from employees about these medications. Employees inquire about the different drugs, how to access them, and the cost.

But some employees are asking another question: why aren’t they losing weight on the medications?

One clinical study shows that semaglutide, sold under the popular brand names of Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for weight loss, can help individuals lose a significant amount of their body weight. On average, adults taking Wegovy can lose up to % of their body weight.

Yet, recent studies also show that 15% of patients taking GLP-1s aren’t responding to the medication. These patients simply aren’t losing weight the way they thought they would.

Many of your employees have put hope into these drugs to solve their weight loss struggles. “Non-responders” feel frustrated, even demoralized.

As an employer, who can answer your employees’ questions about why they aren’t responding to these medications?

The answer may be surprising – a pharmacist. Pharmacists can answer many questions about medications, discuss side effects of specific medicines, and the efficacy of certain lifestyle choices with various medications.

A pharmacist at first would want to understand the following from a non-responding employee:

• Obesity in some patients might be driven by something besides the hormones that weight-loss drugs mimic to suppress. If so, the drugs probably won’t make much of a difference.

• Discuss how long the patient has struggled with obesity and understand the path they have taken to where they are now.
• Understand how a patient metabolizes a drug, affecting the efficacy of the medication.
• Discuss the patient’s health history. Various medical issues could hinder the effect of weight-loss drugs and can change the appropriate medication choice. For instance, a patient with Type 2 diabetes on GLP-1s will typically lose less.
• Poor diet and exercise habits before starting the drugs can influence how much weight one loses.
• Other medications can play a role, too. Drugs such as certain types of antidepressants and antipsychotics can have weight gain as a side effect and counteract the weight loss effectiveness of GLP-1s.

Based on understanding more about the employee, the pharmacist can then get to the root of the problem and offer the following advice:

• First, try the drug for at least three to six months and utilize a slow dose escalation depending on the patient tolerability.
• Improve your diet and exercise – something most of us should be doing anyway. Types of foods to eat include fresh vegetables, fruit, and lean protein. Avoid foods with a lot of additives and try to exercise at least 20 minutes a day.

Related: Big Pharma and pharmacy benefit managers sued for insulin price-fixing

The treatment of obesity requires a multi-faceted benefits approach, especially for the non-responders. Weight loss medications should always be accompanied by a comprehensive weight management program. This should include a customized education on lifestyle; behavioral changes required to maintain weight loss; along with expertise regarding the use of medications.

A pharmacist has the expertise to provide clinical oversight to ensure success in a comprehensive weight management program for employees. Plus, a pharmacist can advise employees on how to tolerate side effects while managing any other medications that the patient may be taking.

In conclusion, GLP-1s used to treat obesity can be an effective weight loss support tool, but they don’t work for everyone. Pharmacists with a health benefits program can help determine why an employee isn’t responding to the medications. As an expert in medication, a pharmacist can guide your employee in medication management as well as in nutritional and lifestyle changes for the best weight loss outcome.

Dr. Jessica Lea, Pharm D, is founder and CEO of Tria Health, a comprehensive health benefit offered through self-insured employers for individuals with chronic conditions. As a PharmD, Dr. Lea is passionate about pharmacists providing patient-centered care to improve the health outcomes of patients. This was her catalyst for starting Tria Health.