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The rapid growth of GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and weight loss has been accompanied by an extensive effort to educate and market to the clinicians who prescribe them, raising questions about financial relationships between drugmakers and physicians.
A review of federal payment data found that Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk made at least one payment connected to GLP-1 promotion to more than 250,000 doctors and other prescribers since 2018. The companies spent more than $270 million on promotional efforts over that period, including speaking, consulting and in-kind payments such as meals, according to the analysis.
Supporters of those programs say paid clinicians help colleagues understand a quickly changing treatment area, including benefits, dosing, side effects and insurance barriers. The manufacturers say their interactions with health professionals are regulated, disclosed and intended to support evidence-based treatment decisions.
Critics say the payments can create real or perceived conflicts of interest, especially when influential clinicians help shape medical discussion around expensive drugs that many patients may need to take for years. Researchers who study physician-industry relationships have long found that financial ties can influence prescribing patterns, even when participants believe their judgment is independent.
Patients considering a GLP-1 medication should discuss benefits, risks, cost, long-term use and alternatives with their own clinician. A prescription decision should be based on a person’s health needs and medical history, not advertising or online pressure.
