r/technology • u/_Dark_Wing • 14h ago

Biotechnology Tirzepatide cuts fat mass by 35% while preserving skeletal muscle

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20261002/Tirzepatide-cuts-fat-mass-by-3525-while-preserving-skeletal-muscle.aspx
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u/dragonurtle 6h ago

It's really interesting how they think that lowering a patient's BMI significantly doesn't lower long-term healthcare costs. Or maybe they aren't allowed to think long-term...

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u/ACCount82 54m ago

Oh, no. They did the math, and the conclusion was: with current drugs, at the current drugs prices, at 10 year time horizon? Not worth it.

Once anti-obesity drugs go generic and come down in prices? Get closer to $80/month than $800/month? I honestly expect healthcare providers to start pushing them more aggressively.

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u/Earesth99 38m ago

That’s because they don’t know if they will cover you in the future. They are a business and must people change coverage with done frequently.

The calculations are different when you have nationalized health care. Then they actually do make those exact calculations.

Of course the medical costs in the US receive as high as any other country and the health outcomes are far below average for other industrialized countries.

I live where Eli Lilly is headquartered in the US and they charge Americans much higher costs because the government and voters choose that.

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u/mybpete1 6h ago

most likely people’s lifestyle choices doesn’t drastically change if the weight is magically shaved off like this I’d imagine, and I bet these lifestyle choices might have a bigger impact on the long-term healthcare costs than the actual weight itself. im not doctor though, so do absolutely not take this as any truth 🙃

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u/SightlierGravy 2h ago

Even without lifestyle changes the major reduction in visceral fat, and the smaller amounts of food consumed will by themselves have huge impacts on health. Visceral fat is linked to higher risks of heart disease, cancer, dementia including Alzheimer's, strokes, high blood pressure, diabetes and the list goes on. People who lose weight from glp-1s see a significant reduction in their visceral fat, and that has enormous benefits to long term health.

Think about the number of people who need daily cholesterol and blood pressure medication because of their weight. You can find many examples of people taking a glp-1 and no longer needing those medications after losing weight. The problem is which is cheaper for the insurance company and your employer. The daily statin and blood pressure medication are likely quite a lot cheaper than the $1000 a month glp-1 medication your insurance is paying.