Current Issues In Healthcare Blog (A.Chambers) - GLP1s Cost, Stigma, and Larger Implications

Hi Everyone! GLP1s have been a hot topic in healthcare for a while now and its uses are only just expanding. 

Like many people, I have family members currently on GLP1s, others who have talked to their doctors about taking them for weight loss, some being shamed for how they look after taking them for weight loss, and others hoping to be put into a study to see if it could have beneficial effects on other disease states. 

To discuss those currently on GLP1s, they love it. One family member struggled with weight for years and tried multiple approaches, including very low-calorie diets (with complications) and medications like phentermine. After working with their doctor, they started Zepbound (tirzepatide). Their actual weight loss was not the most surprising to them after starting the medication but rather their relationship with food. From early in the week through about Friday, they describe feeling satisfied sooner, leaving food on the plate at restaurants, and thinking less about snacking. When they skipped a dose during a bout of a stomach bug, they noticed how quickly old patterns returned, finishing full meals automatically and reaching for snacks without thinking. However, gaining access to their medications has been hard. They are currently paying over $400/month. This highlights a major healthcare issue as these drugs may be effective, but affordability and insurance coverage determine who can actually benefit.

To talk a little bit about family members being 'shamed.' Another family member was told they had prediabetes and committed to improving their health and losing weight, not just for themselves, but for their kids. Over time they lost weight and improved their numbers, but at a family reunion the reaction was uncomfortable, some people gossiped it was the easy way out, others said they looked 'sick' or more 'unhealthy,' when in reality, they lost weight and looked great. This stuck out to me because it was the first time I realized there was social implications on weight loss and how medications shouldn't be used or talked about. 

Finally, I wanted to touch on another family member struggling with dementia. When early reports suggested GLP1s may have effects beyond A1c and weight loss, and possible effects on the brain, my family looked into clinical trial options. Later the science came back insignificant, we decided that this was not an option, however this had me thinking about how cost and stigma could have an impact on how people respond to the research on these medications. Will we continue to see what I did with my larger family, push back, or will people begin to accept the positive ramifications of the medications. 

I bring up these three situations to highlight three different parts of this impact on the healthcare system, costs of medications, stigma around some treatment paths, and how we could reduce the strain on our healthcare system by treating disease early to prevent hospitalizations and early death. 

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  1. AbbeyApril 2, 2026 at 8:43 AM

    https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db508.htm
    chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db508.pdf

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