Real-world results for blockbuster weight-loss meds like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound aren't as impressive as those promised by the drugs' clinical trials, a new study says.
People taking such GLP-1 drugs lost just under 9% of their body weight on average after a year, researchers reported Tuesday in the journal Obesity.
That's far less than the 15% to 21% body weight reduction promised by the clinical trials that led to the approval of Wegovy (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide) for weight loss, researchers said.
"Patients treated for obesity with semaglutide or trizepatide lost less weight on average in a regular clinical setting compared to what is observed in randomized clinical trial," lead investigator Hamlet Gasoyan said in a news release. He is a researcher at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Value-Based Care Research.
People taking the drugs in real-world settings appear to be more likely to quit taking the meds, researchers said. They also might be prescribed lower dosages in clinical practice than were used in the drug trials.
