Medicare Patients Show Strong Preference for Injectable Obesity Drugs, Citing Efficacy

Early indications from a new U.S. Medicare pilot program for obesity treatments show that many patients are opting for injectable medications, a choice driven by higher efficacy that defies some pharmaceutical industry expectations. The 18-month trial, launched this month by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), provides access to popular GLP-1 drugs for a monthly cost of $50.

Patient Preference Defies Expectations

Contrary to some industry forecasts that patients would favor the convenience of pills, many are specifically requesting injections. A Reuters report, citing interviews with ten doctors and three pharmaceutical sector analysts, found a significant number of patients are choosing injectable drugs from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. This trend contradicts earlier research, including a June statement from Novo Nordisk's U.S. chief, Jamey Millar, indicating that company data showed Medicare beneficiaries preferred pills to injections on a two-to-one basis.

"Hands down — these patients are asking for injections as they know they work and it has been so costly in the past," Dr. Sarah Ro, director of the University of North Carolina Health’s weight-management program, told Reuters.

Efficacy Seen as Key Driver

The preference for injections appears to be rooted in superior weight-loss results demonstrated in clinical trials. The data highlights a clear performance gap between the two delivery methods, which is a key consideration for both patients and investors tracking the multi-billion dollar market.

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• Injectable Zepbound (Eli Lilly): Patients lost more than 22% of their body weight after 72 weeks.
• Injectable Wegovy (Novo Nordisk): Patients saw a 15% weight loss after 68 weeks.
• Oral Wegovy: Resulted in a roughly 14% weight reduction over 64 weeks.
• Oral Foundayo (Eli Lilly): Led to an 11% weight reduction over 72 weeks.

This focus on results was noted by financial analysts. "It turns out that for most people, it’s all about efficacy," RBC Capital Markets analyst Trung Huynh told Reuters.

Mixed Results in Program Rollout

While patient interest is high, the program's initial rollout has yielded mixed experiences. A CMS spokesperson described the first weeks as "positive," with most authorizations processed in under 12 hours. However, some physicians have found the process "cumbersome" and requiring significant administrative resources to navigate what they called "red tape."

Patient access has also been inconsistent, with some reporting frustrating delays. Still, many clinics are seeing success, with one Atlanta-based practice reporting it had received approvals for about 200 patients in the first week. Both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk told Reuters they were pleased with the program's launch, with Lilly noting the strong interest, though neither company has released specific prescription volumes.