A new GLP-1 opportunity for pharma: Supporting patients’ emotional barriers to weight loss
People with obesity in Western cultures have largely been subject to shame, blame, stigma, and discrimination that condemns them for their current situation while simultaneously scorning them for efforts to reduce their weight.
It was hard enough in the analogue era, but social media influencers have added a sense that there’s a “right” and “wrong” way to care for one’s body, using gatekeeping tactics to manipulate viewers into following a certain path (and buying certain products).
GLP-1s have quickly gotten caught up in this black-and-white, my-way-or-the-highway thinking and are often viewed as “the easy way out” or even “cheating”.
The result is an environment where many people with obesity feel paralysed — unable to keep up with the endless parade of ineffectual or damaging fad diets and equally unwilling to be mocked for using GLP-1s for their metabolic health.
Despite their remarkable efficacy for many populations, GLP-1s have a relatively low persistence rate over time, due to a combination of factors, including costs, side effects, and, yes, likely even the stigma of being “found out” for being a user.
This is an unacceptable state of affairs, especially as close to 70% of Americans face serious long-term health consequences from being overweight or clinically obese.
With one in eight Americans having taken a GLP-1 already — including 43% of those with diabetes and a quarter of people with heart disease — it’s time to shift our thinking on GLP-1s to recognise that the only “wrong” way to start a weight management journey is to do so without the emotional support required to keep on the long-term path to success.
Pharmaceutical companies can and must take a leading role in breaking the cycle of shame by supporting patients with personalised, human-first resources that prioritise evidence-based insights, along with the engaging emotional support people need to reach their goals.
Tailored patient support programmes aimed at improving adherence to GLP-1s could help change the social narrative while ensuring that patients can realise the full clinical potential of GLP-1 therapy. To achieve the best results, these programmes must focus on breaking down the common barriers that make weight loss so challenging, including the feelings of secrecy and isolation that are so unnecessarily prevalent in the current environment.
Recognising that a weight loss journey is a lifetime commitment
Emotional readiness is key to starting a weight loss journey. Continuing along that path long enough to achieve lasting results requires a little bit more, including ongoing motivation from partners across the care team and resilience skills to keep the momentum going while building healthy, sustainable habits.
As a result, support programmes that provide education, but then leave patients to fend for themselves after the start of therapy, will not be effective for long-term success. Instead, pharma leaders should offer patients access to consistent, reliable, human-driven interactions, including community-building activities, peer testimonials, and help with building healthy habits, to ensure that they are ready to seek out and commit to GLP-1 therapy — and continue to have the emotional, mental, and even socioeconomic capacity to stay on medication for the long haul.
Providing comprehensive, accessible education to debunk myths
Misinformation is everywhere, from questionable social media posts to too-good-to-be-true products offered on daytime TV. Patients are continually in search of trusted resources, yet the vast majority of US adults struggle with basic health literacy and may not be able to distinguish between truths and falsehoods on their own.
The need for trustworthy information is greater than ever, and pharmaceutical companies are in an important position to provide it. Companies should work toward proactively offering accessible resources around issues such as expected results, proper injection technique, recognising and managing side effects, navigating insurance coverage, and adhering to appropriate diet and exercise plans. These materials should be available in multiple languages across a variety of media formats, utilising audio, video, and written content to connect with individuals in their preferred manner.
Connecting in a meaningful, human-first way
Social isolation is a key contributor to poor outcomes among people with obesity, with one recent study finding that isolation was an even stronger predictor of early mortality in obese individuals than lifestyle-related risk factors.
With one in five people in the US reporting feelings of loneliness, peer-to-patient interactions can help build connections that support wellness in general, as well as weight loss more specifically. By reaching out to individuals with empathy and authenticity, peer-to-patient educators can deliver a variety of helpful resources to reassure people that they are not alone.
These interactions could include using human-powered outreach to help patients establish specific and realistic goals, provide information on weight loss support groups, or even offer alerts to potential savings that have helped other patients offset the high cost of GLP-1s.
As GLP-1s become more integrated into the weight loss environment, it is both possible and necessary to change society’s perception of what it means to use these medications as part of a holistic weight loss plan.
The process starts one person at a time, by using a human-first approach to addressing the emotional barriers that often make it difficult to find success.
If trusted partners in health, including pharmaceutical companies, can tackle the stigma of obesity and GLP-1s head-on with effective patient resources for emotional support and personalised care guidance, they may be able to spark more action toward getting started with — and staying on — new drugs and therapies that can transform the way people engage with a healthy, long-term weight loss process.
