Weight-loss drugs cost more in U.S. than other countries, KFF says

Blockbuster weight-loss drugs are priced significantly higher within the U.S. than in other large, high-income countries, in line with a latest evaluation released Thursday. 

The report from KFF, a health policy organization, comes as many U.S. health insurers balk at the acute cost of weight-loss drugs and drop the medications from their plans.

At roughly $1,000 monthly on average for medications which might be typically taken over a protracted time frame, the drugs are straining insurers’ budgets. But lots of the 100 million American adults who’re obese cannot afford to pay out of pocket for the treatments, called GLP-1 agonists.

KFF compared list prices — the value a drugmaker sets before insurance or any discounts — available through website searches. 

Some countries negotiate directly with drugmakers equivalent to Novo Nordisk to set lower list prices for medications, in line with Krutika Amin, associate director of the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker. Meanwhile, other countries equivalent to the U.S. don’t, contributing to vastly different list prices.

A 30-day supply of Novo Nordisk‘s diabetes drug Ozempic, which is used off-label for weight reduction, for instance, has a listing price of $936 within the U.S. That is five times as expensive because the $168 list price in Japan. 

The list prices are even lower in other countries. Ozempic is priced at $103 in Germany, $96 in Sweden and $83 in France. 

Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, which has the identical energetic ingredient as Ozempic and is approved for weight reduction, has a listing price of greater than $1,300 within the U.S. Meanwhile, Wegovy’s list price is just $328 in Germany. 

Eli Lilly’s diabetes drug Mounjaro, which can be used off-label for weight reduction, has a listing price of $1,023 within the U.S. but is just $319 in Japan and $444 within the Netherlands. 

Representatives for Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly didn’t immediately reply to CNBC’s request for comment Thursday.

These list prices and the patchy insurance coverage of weight-loss drugs within the U.S. undoubtedly affect accessibility. But a KFF survey released earlier this month suggests that in addition they affect patients’ overall interest within the medications.

The survey found that almost half of U.S. adults are generally involved in taking a prescription weight-loss drug, but that interest drops to 16% if the medication is not covered by insurance. 

About 80% of adults within the survey said insurance firms should cover the fee of weight-loss drugs for adults who’re obese or obese, while half said insurers should cover the fee for anyone who wants to make use of them to drop some pounds. 

Recent trial data released by Novo Nordisk last week could potentially put more pressure on U.S. insurers to cover weight-loss drugs. 

The Danish company’s trial found that Wegovy slashed the danger of significant heart problems and heart-related death by 20% in obese or obese patients with established heart problems. 

The outcomes suggest that Wegovy and certain other obesity drugs have significant health advantages beyond shedding unwanted kilos. But organizations representing insurers have told CNBC that more data is required before they might qualify for broader coverage.