GLP-1 drugs: promise or peril

The crisis in metabolic health is deepening and we're here to drive meaningful change.

As a trusted source of knowledge on this topic we are continuing to study its effects on our industry.

Widespread use of GLP-1 weight loss drugs to treat obesity could substantially reduce cumulative all-cause mortality in the US and UK general populations by 2045, our modelling projects. We anticipate mortality reductions in cardiovascular disease (CVD), and lower morbidity in a range of other conditions, if clinical trial results are replicated in the real world.

This has significant implications for Life and Health (L&H) insurers, as GLP-1 drugs may reshape claims experience across mortality, longevity and medical insurance products. However, GLP-1 drugs were first developed for diabetes treatment and have not yet proven they can lead to long-term, sustained improvements in population level metabolic health.