Persistently Low Initiation of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists for Weight Management in Individuals without Diabetes in Poland: A Major Unmet Need
Open accessAbstract
The advent of highly effective glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) offers transformative potential for obesity management [1][2][3].While US studies have highlighted vast eligibility [4] and noted low but increasing initiation rates of anti-obesity medications (1.8%) with significant access disparities [5,6], the situation in healthcare systems with substantial out-of-pocket costs warrants specific examination.In Poland, GLP-1 RAs are approved for adults with obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m²) or overweight (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m² with at least one weight-related comorbidity) but remain unreimbursed by the National Health Fund for weight management indications.This study aimed to quantify temporal trends in GLP-1 RA initiation rates specifically for weight management among eligible adults without diabetes within a large Polish private healthcare network, examining uptake patterns and estimating the national burden of the unmet need in this challenging financial landscape.Methods.We conducted a descriptive, retrospective analysis of electronic medical records from LUX MED [7, 8], a major private healthcare provider in Poland, spanning January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2024.We included all new adult patients (≥ 18 years) with a recorded BMI ≥ 27 kg/m² and no diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus.Eligibility for GLP-1 RA therapy for weight management was defined as: (1) BMI ≥ 30 kg/m², or (2) BMI 27-29.9kg/m² with at least one documented weight-related comorbidity (arterial hypertension, coronary artery disease, hypercholesterolemia, or sleep apnea).We extracted baseline demographic and clinical characteristics.Analyses were restricted to 'new patients', defined as individuals with their first recorded Luxmed encounter during the study period.This criterion ensured consistent capture of baseline BMI, comorbidity, and prescription data from the start of each patient's record and reduced misclassification of prior
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Among adults without diabetes who were eligible for GLP-1 RA therapy for weight management in Poland, only 4.7% actually initiated treatment between 2018 and 2023.
“among adults without diabetes who were eligible for GLP-1 RA therapy for weight management, only 4.7% actually initiated treatment between 2018 and 2023 [47].”
From Adherence and Persistence with GLP-1-Based Therapies: International Real-World Evidence and the Role of Nutritional and Lifestyle Support—A Narrative Review (2026) · cites this paper as [47]
The Results report that 20,671 patients, or 4.7% of the study cohort, received an initial GLP-1 RA prescription. But the Methods specify a January 2018–December 2024 study period, not 2018–2023, and the 4.7% figure comes from a private healthcare cohort rather than all eligible adults in Poland. (LLM, conf=0.88)
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References 20 · Cited by 2
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- Authors
- Dziewierz, A., Rajtar-Salwa, R., Szarpak, L., Sojda, A., & Siudak, Z.
- Affiliations
- Jagiellonian University (PL)
- Department of Clinical Research and Development, LUX MED Group, Warsaw, Poland
- Jan Kochanowski University (PL)
- Corresponding author
- Siudak, Zbigniew
- Venue
- Archives of Medical Science
- Publisher
- Termedia Sp. z.o.o.
- Published
- 2025-08-27
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 1636-1640
- ISSN
- 1734-1922 (ISSN-L)
- 1896-9151
- PMC
- PMC12509864
- OpenAlex
- W4414035110
- Cited by
- 2
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2
- FWCI
- 1.13
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-sa
- Locations
- Archives of Medical Science (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- Homo Politicus (Academy of Humanities and Economics in Lodz) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Pharmacology and Obesity Treatment
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes Treatment and Management
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Bariatric Surgery and Outcomes
- Keywords
- GLP-1 receptor agonists, obesity treatment, weight management, unmet medical needs, out-of-pocket costs, health insurance reimbursement, private health care, Poland, temporal trends, weight-related comorbidities
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