Many older Americans discontinue GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs within a year

Many older Americans who begin taking GLP‑1 and related drugs for diabetes or weight loss stop the medications within months, often within a year, according to studies and patient accounts. Patients and researchers cite cost, side effects and coverage changes as common reasons for discontinuation.

The article recounts patients’ experiences: a Medicare Advantage enrollee who lost 25 pounds on Ozempic saw coverage cut off and could not restore it; another patient stopped Wegovy after severe stomach upset; a third stopped Mounjaro after rapid muscle loss. Studies cited include a JAMA Cardiology analysis finding about 60 percent of people over 65 with diabetes discontinued semaglutide within a year, and a study of 125,474 people that found almost 47 percent of those with diabetes and nearly 65 percent without diabetes stopped GLP‑1s within a year.

Researchers note that 20 to 30 percent higher discontinuation among those over 65, gastrointestinal side effects affect as many as 20 percent of patients, and trials have reported that 35 to 45 percent of weight loss from GLP‑1s can be lean mass rather than fat. Shortages from 2022 to 2024 and financial barriers also contributed; a Cleveland Clinic study found nearly half of patients who quit cited cost or insurance issues.

Policy changes could alter access but leave many questions.

Key Topics

Health, Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, Ozempic, Wegovy, Medicare Advantage