Fair Allocation of GLP-1 and Dual GLP-1–GIP Receptor Agonists
Ezekiel J. Emanuel, Johan Dellgren, Matthew S. McCoy, Govind Persad
Abstract
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, such as semaglutide, and dual GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonists, such as tirzepatide, have been found to be effective for treating obesity and diabetes, significantly reducing weight and the risk or predicted risk of adverse cardiovascular events. There is a global shortage of these medications that could last several years and raises questions about how limited supplies should be allocated. We propose a fair-allocation framework that enables evaluation of the ethics of current practices and could guide governments, professional societies, and physicians in allocation decisions.
Topics & Concepts
Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptorDual (grammatical number)Economic shortageReceptorPharmacologyAgonistEconomicsMedicineBusinessInternal medicinePhilosophyLiteratureLinguisticsGovernment (linguistics)ArtDiabetes Treatment and ManagementPharmaceutical studies and practicesDiabetes Management and Research