How much persons are willing to spend

Demand for weight reduction drugs is booming within the U.S. despite their limited insurance coverage and roughly $1,000 monthly price tags before discounts. 

But some patients are willing to pay more out of pocket for those treatments than others — and that desire is strongly correlated to their annual income.

That is in accordance with a recent survey from Evercore ISI focused on GLP-1s, a recent class of medicines used to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity. Between Jan. 24 and Feb. 20, the firm surveyed greater than 600 participants who’re currently taking a GLP-1, considering the therapy or have taken it prior to now but now not do. 

The findings on how much patients are willing to spend underscore concerns about equity in access to the breakthrough drugs while insurance coverage is sparse.

GLP-1s include Novo Nordisk‘s blockbuster weight reduction injection Wegovy and diabetes counterpart Ozempic, together with Eli Lilly’s popular weight reduction treatment Zepbound and diabetes injection Mounjaro. 

A monthly package of a GLP-1 costs between $900 and $1,350 before insurance and other rebates. Each Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have savings programs that aim to cut back out-of-pocket costs for weight reduction drugs, no matter whether a patient has industrial insurance coverage. 

The bulk — nearly 60% — of individuals surveyed with annual incomes of greater than $250,000 said the utmost price they’re willing to pay out of pocket for a GLP-1 is greater than $300 monthly. 

Only about 4% of individuals with annual incomes of lower than $75,000 said the identical thing. Of that group, 64% said the utmost price they’re willing to pay out of pocket for a GLP-1 is $50 monthly or less. 

The utmost people currently on a GLP-1 said they’re willing to pay out of pocket monthly was roughly consistent with what they really paid for treatment, in accordance with the survey. The best price respondents would accept paying skewed lower amongst those that used to take a GLP-1 or are considering of taking the drug. 

Greater than half of individuals currently taking a GLP-1 said they’re paying a monthly price of $50 or less out of pocket. Nearly 75% of those that used to take one among the drugs said they spent the identical amount. 

A small share of each groups paid greater than $750 out of pocket monthly for a GLP-1.

The survey also asked respondents how long they stayed on the drugs.

Notably, greater than 80% of those that used to take a treatment were only on a therapy for 12 months or less. Some people stopped as a result of cost, while others stopped a treatment because they hit their weight reduction goal or experienced uncomfortable side effects.

That premature stoppage by some patients is one concern of certain insurers hesitant to cover them.

Still, nearly half of people who find themselves currently taking GLP-1s said they intend to remain on the drugs permanently. Only 10% of those considering of taking a treatment said the identical thing. Of that group, greater than 70% said they intend to remain on a GLP-1 until they reach their weight reduction goal.

The survey also asked participants whether or not they would restart taking a GLP-1 in the event that they regain weight after stopping the drug. The vast majority of patients across all groups — those currently on a GLP-1, considering of it, or who used to take one — said “yes.” 

Amongst those that used to take a GLP-1, 42% said they gained “some” weight back after stopping treatment. Around 13% said they gained most of it back, while 23% said they gained all of it back. One other 23% said they remained at a lower weight after stopping the drug.

That weight regain is consistent with what has been observed in some clinical trials on drugs resembling Wegovy and Zepbound.

One other a part of the survey asked participants about whether taking a GLP-1 affected their eating and drinking habits. 

Greater than 70% of respondents reporting eating less when taking a GLP-1, no matter whether or not they have pre-existing conditions. That refers to other health problems, resembling diabetes, asthma or hypertension.

The survey finding is not any surprise: GLP-1s work by mimicking a hormone produced within the gut to suppress an individual’s appetite and regulate blood sugar. Some treatments, resembling Zepbound, mimic multiple gut hormone.

Greater than half of those without preexisting conditions said they drank less alcohol when taking a GLP-1. Around 27% said the treatment had no effect on their alcohol consumption, while 22% said they abstain from drinking. 

A greater share — 51% — of those with preexisting conditions said they abstain from alcohol. The rest said they consumed less alcohol when taking a GLP-1. 

Several studies have demonstrated that certain GLP-1s curb alcohol intake in rodents and monkeys. But more research is required in humans.

— CNBC’s Gabriel Cortés contributed to this report