About 12 million U.S. adults may not take GLP-1 drugs as prescribed
A CDC survey estimate reported by Ars Technica found 44% of GLP-1 users changed dosing or refills, often citing cost or access.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
About 12 million U.S. adults may be using GLP-1 drugs not taken as prescribed, based on a self-reported federal survey estimate reported by Ars Technica. The finding points to cost and access problems that can interrupt treatment, though the survey does not show whether each change was unsafe, clinically inappropriate or made without a clinician’s direction.
CDC researchers surveyed more than 8,000 U.S. adults in July and August 2025 and estimated that 9.8% of adults, or about 27 million people, had used a GLP-1 medicine that year, according to Ars Technica. GLP-1 medicines are used for diabetes, weight loss and some other chronic health conditions.
Among respondents who used the medicines, 44% said their use differed from their prescription, Ars Technica reported. Applying that share to the estimated 27 million users produces an approximate figure of 11.9 million people, or about 12 million.
Why are GLP-1 drugs not taken as prescribed?
People reported skipping doses, putting off refills or using lower doses than prescribed, according to Ars Technica’s account of the CDC findings. More than half of those who changed their use cited cost or availability.
Reported cost barriers varied by age among people who modified their use. Ars Technica reported that 58% of users ages 14 to 39 who altered their use cited cost, compared with 20% of users 65 or older.
The survey records what respondents said about their medicine use. It does not establish how long any change lasted, whether it was approved by a prescriber, or what health effects followed.
Affordability concerns appear in separate polling
A separate KFF poll published in November 2025 found that 56% of GLP-1 users said the medicines were difficult to afford. Among people who had ever used a GLP-1 drug, 14% said they were no longer taking it because of cost, while 13% cited side effects.
KFF surveyed 1,350 U.S. adults online and by telephone from Oct. 27 through Nov. 2, 2025. Its results should not be combined with the CDC survey estimate because the polls used different samples and questions.
What the survey found about compounded products
At least 23% of GLP-1 users reported using a compounded product, while another 9% said they did not know whether their medicine was compounded, according to Ars Technica. Among users of compounded products, 62% reported use that differed from the prescription, compared with 36% of brand-name drug users.
Compounded medicines are not FDA-approved, and the agency does not review their safety, effectiveness or quality before sale, Ars Technica reported. That status does not establish that a compounded product is counterfeit, illegal or unsafe in an individual case. The reported differences in use instead highlight the need for clear information about dosing, refills, cost and the type of product patients receive.
This story draws on original reporting from Ars Technica.