by Aude Bandini, Jean-Philippe Drouin-Chartier, Pierre-Marie David and Rémi Rabasa-Lhoret, The Conversation
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain
The fad for brand-new drugs in the GLP-1 (Glucagon-like peptide 1) and GIP (Gastric repressive polypeptide) analog class, much better understood under the brand name Ozempic and Wegovy, is impressive, however it’s not absolutely unmatched in the history of pharmaceutical smash hits.
The volume of prescriptions and the spending plan assigned to them by public health insurance coverage plans are taking off, as are the earnings of the business that produce them.
Part of the appeal of these drugs owes to socials media, however these are not constantly the very best source for health info. When it pertains to the topic of weight-loss, both dream and bias enter play. This works to the hinderance of everybody’s wellness, however especially those who are currently stigmatized.
As professionals in the viewpoint of medication (Université de Montréal), nutrition and food science (Université Laval), the sociology of medication (Université de Montréal) and endocrinology (Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal), we feel it’s required to go back and analyze both the guarantees and the constraints of these brand-new treatments.
The very best of both worlds
GLP-1/ GIP analogs were initially established to manage glycemia (blood glucose levels) in individuals with Type 2 diabetes, therefore avoiding the issues connected with this illness. When research studies were performed to examine their security and effectiveness, it was found that these drugs likewise resulted in weight reduction. This triggered brand-new research study which revealed that at greater dosages, the drugs might result in really substantial weight reduction, from 15 to 25% of the beginning weight.
The mode of action of these drugs on blood sugar level policy is clear: they imitate incretin hormonal agents which, in turn, boost insulin secretion. Weight reduction, on the other hand, was just described after the truth: in addition to the pancreas, these particles likewise act upon the brain by controling the experience of satiety and, indirectly, on the stomach by slowing stomach emptying. These 2 combined impacts lower hunger and result in weight decrease.
This is how a brand-new usage for the drug appeared, at which point the business Novo Nordisk started marketing the very same drug under 2 various names: Ozempic to deal with Type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy to handle weight problems.
A brand-new age
GLP-1/ GIP analogs are a welcome restorative advancement at a time when the occurrence of Type 2 diabetes and weight problems is blowing up and impacting individuals more youthful and more youthful.
These illness especially impact ladies, members of racialized groups and socio-economically disadvantaged populations. The physical and psychological suffering these cause and the expenses related to treating them are both significant. The arrival of brand-new weapons in the therapeut