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People are more likely to stop taking GLP-1 drugs and withdraw
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About 6 in 10 of them stopped taking them after two years, the researchers found, but
about two-thirds will start again within two years
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Dropout rates were higher for some types of GLP-1 than for others
MONDAY, June 15, 2026 (NewsDay News) – People are told that once you start taking Ozempic or Zepbound, you must stay on them to maintain the benefits of the drug.
According to a study presented on Sunday at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in Chicago, but patients who have been prescribed such GLP-1 drugs are more likely to stop them and later resume their use.
“We found that about 4 in 10 patients stopped their GLP-1 medication in the first year and about 6 in 10 stopped it at the end of two years,” based on insurance records of more than 60,000 Americans with type 2 diabetes, the study’s investigator said. Sainihil Sonta. He is a research fellow at the Boston University School of Public Health.
However, not everyone who stopped taking GLP-1 stopped taking it.
“More than half of those who stopped treatment within one year (42%) and nearly two-thirds did so within two years (58%),” Sonta said in a university news release. “This suggests that for many patients, these drugs are not permanently discarded; use is more on and off than most people assume.”
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs mimic the hormone GLP-1, which helps control insulin and blood sugar levels, suppresses appetite, and slows digestion. Originally developed for treatmenttype 2 diabetespills are now widely used for weight loss as well.
For the study, researchers analyzed data on US health insurance claims from early 2019 to mid-2025 for people who started taking the drug. liraglutide (Saxenda/Victoza), semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound). This group included people aged 18 to 64 with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or more, which indicates overweight or obesity. BMI is an estimate of body fat based on height and weight.
The team defined discontinuation as an interval of more than 60 days in filling GLP-1 prescriptions.
The results showed that people on Medicaid or Medicare, black patients, and those with nausea or other GI side effects were more likely to stop taking GLP-1 drugs.
People were 10% less likely to quit if their first GLP-1 medication was prescribed by an endocrinologist, the researchers said.
People taking tirzepatide lost 41% less than those taking older drugs like liraglutide, while semaglutide users lost 28% less.
“This study is important because the consistent use of these drugs is what produces their protective effects,” Sonta said. “Stopping early can mean missed opportunities to prevent heart attacks, kidney disease progression and other complications.”
Because these findings were presented at a medical meeting, they should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
More information
Harvard Medical School has more information weight loss pills.
Source: Endocrine Society, release, June 14, 2026
What does this mean for you?
People who start taking GLP-1 pills should try to stick with them and get their full benefits.
