Black patients have less access to anti-obesity drugs, data shows

BOSTON –  The new anti-obesity and diabetes drugs may not be going to the patients who need them the most.  Once again, we’re seeing health disparities when it comes to the distribution of these drugs.

The demand for drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy has skyrocketed in recent months but not everyone has equal access. 

According to Epic Research data, while Black people are much more likely to suffer from obesity and diabetes, white people are four times more likely to receive a prescription. 

Why? 

Largely because Black and Hispanic patients are less likely to be insured, less likely to receive routine medical care, and tend to have less disposable income, while the out-of-pocket expenses for these drugs can exceed $1,000 a month. Experts say these medications should be more accessible to the populations that need them the most.   

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.