Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists in Psychiatry

The glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1)–based diabetes and obesity drug semaglutide, with trade names Ozempic and Wegovy, will become the second best-selling drug in 2024, with estimated worldwide Ozempic sales of US ~$16 billion. Finally, the pharmacological treatment of obesity seems to have a breakthrough after decades of setbacks, with previous weight-loss medications withdrawn from the market because of serious side effects. In this podcast, the co-author of a guest editorial, "Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists in Psychiatry," Hubertus Himmerich, MD, reviews the implications of GLP-1 drugs for psychiatry and healthcare globally. The article is published in the May/June 2024 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. Dr. Himmerich, who is from the department of psychological medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College in London, authored the editorial with Dr. Susan L. McElroy, of the Lindner Center of HOPE, Mason, OH, and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.