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Media & press

Why Do a Significant Number of GLP-1 Users Stop Taking the Medication in the First Year?

PharmaExec
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April 6, 2026
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Mike Hollan, Mark Bagnall

https://www.pharmexec.com/view/significant-number-glp1-stop-taking-medication-first-year
Phenomix CEO Mark Bagnall discusses the reasons for GLP-1 failure and why it’s common for patients to stop taking the medication.
Highlights:

Key Takeaways

  • Market momentum continues via higher-dose semaglutide approval pathways and telehealth-oriented subscription programs that may broaden access while reshaping dispensing economics.
  • Treatment discontinuation within year one commonly reflects combined financial burden and unexpected tolerability liabilities rather than loss of interest alone.
  • Severe gastrointestinal adverse events, including nausea and vomiting, occur in an estimated 10–20% of users and can be sufficiently burdensome to precipitate cessation.
  • Variability in weight-loss response, including minimal or absent benefit for some patients, undermines perceived value and accelerates discontinuation despite prior investment.
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