Researchers estimate 136 million adults, or about half the U.S. adult population, are eligible for semaglutide shots like Ozempic or Wegovy. That’s according to a new study published in JAMA Network on Monday, Nov. 18.
Nearly 26,000 adults participated in the study, which found that 8,504 of them were eligible to receive semaglutide shots for diabetes, weight management and/or preventing cardiovascular disease.
Semaglutide shots treat Type 2 diabetes by increasing an individual’s insulin levels, according to the Mayo Clinic, and may be used for other purposes.
Researchers found the mean age of participants to be 50.7 years, with 49.1% being women. They also estimate “that more than 39 million adults qualify for indications other than weight management alone, a substantial increase over the estimated 15 million currently taking” the medication.
Nearly 40 million adults are eligible for the medication to treat diabetes or as a secondary prevention for cardiovascular disease.
The study’s authors say that based on their calculations, nearly 4.3 million individuals without diabetes but with cardiovascular disease may gain coverage for the medication.
The researchers noted that more than half of U.S. adults who have already taken semaglutide medication shared that affordability is a barrier to accessing it and there should be an increased effort to promote equitable access for people who need the medication.
The Mayo Clinic lists a slew of side effects of taking semaglutide, which can include belching, excess air or gas in the intestines, stomach pain, blurred vision, confusion, lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, among others.
