It’s simple to suppose the states main the cost on buzzy weight-loss injectables like Ozempic and Zepbound are California or New York, in spite of everything, that’s the place lots of the viral headlines and superstar rumors are born. However new knowledge tells a distinct story, and it begins in part of the nation you may not count on.
In accordance with new numbers from analysis finished by the Whitley Regulation Agency, West Virginia tops the record for GLP-1 prescriptions per capita, with greater than 24,000 prescriptions crammed for each 100,000 residents. That’s greater than double what’s seen in lower-use states like Hawaii and Nevada. Coming in proper behind West Virginia are Kentucky and Louisiana, two extra southern states the place demand is clearly sky-high.
Prime 10 States with GLP-1 Prescriptions
So, what’s driving GLP-1 use in these much less apparent locations? Consultants level to a mixture of components—greater charges of weight problems and sort 2 diabetes, rising entry by telehealth, and compounding pharmacies that make these medicines extra accessible.
“Because the dialog round GLP-1 medicines continues, it’s necessary to contemplate the components driving these developments,” says a spokesperson for the legislation agency. “Understanding these patterns may also help inform future discussions on public well being and medical accessibility.”
In the meantime, coastal hubs like California and New York don’t even crack the highest 10 when adjusted for inhabitants. Alaska, North Dakota and Oklahoma are all displaying fast progress, too—proving this isn’t only a Hollywood or TikTok pattern.
The underside line? GLP-1s at the moment are all over the place. And the weight-loss dialog is now not simply taking place on the crimson carpet. It’s taking place in cities huge and small, in each nook of the nation.