Ozempic and Wegovy have become as recognizable as brands like McDonalds and Amazon. But what will these drugs' popularity mean for the orthopedic industry?
Thomas DeBerardino, MD, a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon at UT Health San Antonio, connected with Becker's to answer, "How do you think the popularity of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic and Wegovy will affect the orthopedic industry?"
Ask Orthopedic Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting orthopedic care. We invite all orthopedic surgeon and specialist responses.
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Note: This response has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Dr. Thomas DeBerardino: GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic and Wegovy will be a positive disruptive force in the orthopedic industry, by providing a new way to better control Type 2 diabetes. GLP-1 receptor agonists such as these have also been shown to reduce fracture risk in this subset of patients. Reducing hip fractures (by almost 40% in one study) in patients with Type 2 diabetes would be an incredible secondary benefit.