People who use tirzepatide — sold under the brand name of Mounjaro — for weight loss or obesity might soon find themselves scrambling for a new strategy.
That’s because pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly and Company, along with local pharmacies, are tightening access to the drug.
They are prioritizing use for people with type 2 diabetes, which is the only group the drug has been authorized to treat so far.
According to experts interviewed by Healthline, while the limiting of the drug may be frustrating for people who’ve come to rely on it, the rationale makes sense.
They add that for those who’ve come to rely on the medication for weight loss, there are other strategies to try out.
Tirzepatide hasn’t been on the scene for that long.
Eli Lilly first applied for and published a patent for it in 2016. It was approved for medical use in the United States earlier this year after passing phase 3 clinical trials in 2021.
Tirzepatide works by stimulating the release of insulin from the pancreas, which helps with blood sugar control.
As a GLP-1 receptor antagonist, the drug can help people feel more full. While it’s only been approved for use in people with type 2 diabetes, people with obesity have also found success using the drug.
This explosion of popularity so soon after the drug hit market has created some growing pains.
The pharmaceutical company has emphasized that there isn’t a shortage of tirzepatide, but they have sharpened their focus to limit its usage to those who have type 2 diabetes.
While the news may be frustrating for those who were using tirzepatide solely for weight loss, it bears repeating that the drug is not approved for this group of people.
Nancy Mitchell, a registered nurse and contributing writer at Assisted Living Center, who works with people with type 2 diabetes, told Healthline that this move shouldn’t come as a surprise.
“The bottom line is that [Eli Lilly] only had permissions from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to dispense the drug to patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes,” she explained.
“There’s been an uptick in purchases since more people discovered its ability to aid in weight loss. But high demand at the pharmacies means increased demand for manufacturers,” Mitchell added. “This isn’t really a ‘shortage’ per se. Instead, it’s a means of dialing down on the urgency to manufacture more of the drug, dispensing it to those who are, for now, on the top of their priority list legally.”
The promise of a new medication that can help with weight loss is enticing.
But when it comes to good overall health, experts say there aren’t really any shortcuts.
Julianna Coughlin, a registered dietitian who works in outpatient care with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, says she’s counseled clients who have found weight loss success with tirzepatide, but she still advises lifestyle interventions over medications.
Coughlin says the conversation usually begins with a frank discussion about diet.
“We talk about what they are eating, how much, how often,” she told Healthline. “Drinking enough water? What does your exercise look like? Want to join a support group? Meds are my last resort. All of the people I have now who are on weight loss meds are on them from their doctor’s suggestion.”
Making lifestyle changes can be daunting, but Coughlin suggests starting with a goal and using small tasks to build toward it.
“Identify what your goal is and then identify one to three habits you have — I call them ‘default settings’ — that you do with little to no thought but aren’t getting you toward your goal,” she explained. “Then think about how you can change this habit to better move toward your goals and then slowly, over time, replace that old habit step-by-step with a new, healthier, goal-oriented one.”
Eli Lilly restricting access to tirzepatide doesn’t mean that medication will never be approved for people with obesity.
It also doesn’t mean there are no alternative drugs.
Other GLP-1 receptor antagonists such as Wegovy and Ozempic have been experiencing shortages and they too can be difficult to find.
Industry regulators will re-assess tirzepatide at a later date, possibly paving the way for it to be approved to treat obesity, but this review isn’t likely to take place until later next year.
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Current Version
Dec 9, 2022
Written By
Dan Gray
Edited By
David Mills
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