About a Quarter of Those Who Stop Wegovy Start Again

A Danish study of semaglutide (Wegovy) use in obese adults found that nearly one quarter who stopped treatment within three months restarted within three months, according to research published in JAMA Network Open. Among 157,822 first-time semaglutide users without diabetes, 49% discontinued therapy by 12 months, defined as a prescription gap of 60 or more days.

Discontinuation rates rose steadily from 13% by three months to 39% by nine months. Younger adults (ages 18-29) were 1.49 times more likely to discontinue compared to older adults (ages 45-59). Men were 1.16 times more likely to stop than women, and those living in low-income municipalities faced 1.11 times higher discontinuation risk relative to high-income areas.

Risk increased for those with prior psychiatric or gastrointestinal medication use, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, prediabetes, or metabolic syndrome. The authors suggest financial barriers and greater susceptibility to adverse effects may drive early discontinuation, particularly among disadvantaged groups who may also have a higher burden of obesity.

Offering strong support during initiation, including goal setting, dosage monitoring, and ongoing lifestyle guidance, could improve adherence. While study limitations mean results may not fully apply worldwide, the findings echo U.S. data showing high discontinuation rates with novel obesity medications at similar or higher levels.