A new study published Thursday found that groundbreaking weight loss and diabetes medications also combat opioid-use disorder and alcohol misuse disorder.
This is the second study this fall to suggest that GLP-1s, such as Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy or Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound, have the ability to revolutionize the drug treatment options for people addicted to drugs or alcohol.
Here is everything to know about how these drugs could improve addiction recovery.
What do the studies say?
A study from Loyola University Chicago published Thursday in the academic journal Addiction used the medical records of more than 8,000 patients who both had a history of opioid-use disorder and were prescribed a GLP-1 drug, including Ozempic.
Patients with opioid-use disorder who used a GLP-1 drug had a 40% lower rate of opioid overdoses than those who did not, according to the study.
The medical records of more than 5,000 patients on GLP-1 drugs who suffered from alcohol misuse disorder had a 50% lower rate of intoxication than those without a GLP-1 prescription.
A similar study was published last month in JAMA Open Network examining the effect of Ozempic on opioid overdose rates. Researchers found that the risk of opioid overdose was 58% less for Type 2 diabetics on Ozempic compared to those on insulin.
That study, however, was limited solely to patients with Type 2 diabetes who had a prescription for Ozempic, whereas the study published this week examined patients on other GLP-1 drugs, including Wegovy, Zepbound, and Mounjaro.
What further research is necessary?
The results of both studies were limited because they involved medical record analysis, not randomized clinical trials, which would be necessary to determine how the drugs work to reduce overdose and intoxication rates.
Matt Field, a psychology professor at Sheffield University in the United Kingdom, who was not involved in either study, told the Financial Times that one concern with these studies is they both addressed “very extreme instances of substance intoxication” rather than substance abuse on the whole.
In other words, GLP-1s may prevent people from overconsuming opioids and alcohol to the point of medical emergency but not actually help with quitting.
How could this change treatment options for addiction?
There have been little changes in the use of medications to treat opioid or alcohol addictions in the 21st century.
Methadone and Buprenorphine are medications that reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms of opioid use. These medications work best when paired with behavioral therapies for addiction recovery.
There are even fewer mediation resources available for alcohol addiction.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, approximately 2.5 million people in the United States over the age of 18 suffer from opioid use disorders, but only 22% of them receive medication to treat their condition.
Among the nearly 29 million people in the U.S. over the age of 12 last year struggling with alcohol use disorder, less than 2% received medication-assisted treatment, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
What could this mean for insurance coverage for GLP-1s?
GLP-1s for obesity management are not generally covered by insurance. However, they could eventually be covered for addiction treatment if they prove an effective treatment method for opioid and alcohol use disorders.
Obamacare requires most health insurance plans to cover substance use disorder treatment, including medication-assisted treatment and behavioral therapies, but individual insurance plans and state regulations vary.
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Currently, Ozempic and Mounjaro are covered by Medicare for Type 2 diabetes treatment, but GLP-1s are not covered for weight loss or cardiovascular health.
There is strong bipartisan support for this class of drugs to be covered by Medicare, but the Congressional Budget Office estimates it could cost approximately $35 billion from 2026 to 2034.