[S2E10] Vincent Catalano: GLP-1 Forever? Why Taking a Drug for Life Might Not Be the Problem

The headlines will tell you that stopping a GLP-1 means gaining the weight back. And they're right. A study of 77,000 patients confirms it: stop the drug, and the weight returns within a year to a year and a half. But Vincent Catalano isn't sure that's the problem everyone is making it out to be.

In this solo episode, Vincent connects his own 23-year experience taking atorvastatin to manage cholesterol with the growing reality that some people will take GLP-1s indefinitely to manage their weight. The same logic applies: if the drug works, if the price is manageable, and if it keeps a larger health problem in check, why is lifetime use a bad thing?

With pill-form GLP-1s dropping to around $200 a month and prices expected to fall further, Vincent walks through the math: $200 a month is two dinners out. For someone managing obesity and its downstream health risks, that may be one of the most cost-effective decisions available.

About Vincent Catalano: Vincent Catalano brings over 23 years of employee benefits experience as an independent consultant and host of The CLEARly Beneficial Podcast. His unique position outside corporate constraints allows him to have frank conversations about healthcare issues that others in the industry cannot address.

This episode is brought to you by HealthNEXT. HealthNEXT partners with employers to transform their employee health benefits through innovative, results-driven solutions that prioritize both cost savings and improved health outcomes.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial, or professional advice. Listeners should consult with qualified professionals regarding their specific situation.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Welcome to the Clearly Beneficial Podcast, the show where we rip off the band-aid and explore the future of healthcare, benefits, and the people driving innovation in the industry. This episode is brought to you by Health Next, the company leading the way in helping employers build enduring cultures of health and well-being, reducing medical cost trends, and increasing organizational performance. To learn more how they can help you, visit healthnext.com.

SPEAKER_00 0:32

Today I was just reading something a few minutes ago about the downside of GLP1. So right now I read a statistic that 18% of people in the US are now taking uh a GLP1 for weight loss. And that's fine because when you look at the data, some 50 to 60 percent of Americans are overweight or obese. So, you know, do the do the math. Um but the the downside, uh, and this was based upon a study of 77,000 patients, is that if you stop taking the GLP1, you start gaining the weight back, and you'll gain it back, you know, within a year, year and a half. And so that led me to think, wow, so you got to take these things your whole life. Now, the price of these things is about to come down in the pill form to about 200 bucks a month. And insurance companies are only going to start covering it maybe, I don't know, um, once the price gets down, or who knows? It might even go lower. It went down pretty fast from you know 1,200 to 2,000 a month down to 120 a month or 200 a month. So, you know, we may see the price drop even more. So, where does that leave us? And and then I got reflecting about my own personal health, right? I mean, I had uh a family history of cardiovascular disease. I mean, um my di my dad died of a blocked artery and a heart attack um at a at an age of which uh I'm only three years younger than he is, he was when he died. So um it got to me thinking that, you know, about 20-something years ago I had a I had a blocked artery and I had a stent put in, and I've been taking lipitor or torvostatin for all that period of time because if I drop off the atorvostatin, my cholesterol goes up. I mean, I have I'm genetically predisposed to higher cholesterol. So I've been taking, it made me think I've been taking a torvostatin for 23 years, you know, and it keeps my cholesterol in check. And um, I haven't tried the experiment now that I've lost a bunch of weight. What is my natural cholesterol if I actually, you know, dropped off the drug? But that being said, you know, I'm paying generically something like ten dollars a month for that drug, okay? Um, and I'm gonna take it until the day I die, right? So what's wrong with someone who chooses to spend 200 bucks a month on a drug that helps them lose weight and potentially even the long run keep it off? And that's a pretty big, you know, thing thing to think about, especially as prices will continue to come down, and you know, in some point maybe there's a generic version of these drugs. Um, and so that's a choice. And if you look at it, if you're gonna spend 200 bucks a month on a drug to keep your weight off and maintain it, what is 200 bucks? That's the cost of a couple of dinners out, and probably dinners out you didn't want to eat in the first place. So while you you know the media may want to make it as a bad thing, oh my god, you gotta take this thing forever, you know, some people do take drugs forever to keep their weight managed or their cholesterol managed or their blood pressure managed. And because the cost of drugs is is, you know, in terms of when things are able to go generic, is quite reasonable, then you know, I'm I I have no I have no argument with any of that. So anyway, thanks for listening. Appreciate you. Um appreciate the followers. We've now clipped over uh 10,000, you know, views and downloads, and I I couldn't be happier. Um, so thank you for listening, and uh please feel free to share and like and comment, and uh would love to hear your thoughts on all these things. Take care. This podcast reflects the personal views of the host and guests, not their employers or sponsors. See you next time.