Treatment Patterns and Experienced Effects of Semaglutide for Weight Management Among Adult Users in Denmark: A Community Pharmacy-Based Cross-Sectional Survey.

AIMS: Users of semaglutide for weight management (SEMA-WM) may not follow the recommended treatment regimen. We investigated SEMA-WM treatment patterns among Danish adult users.

METHODS

A questionnaire-based survey was conducted across 28 Danish community pharmacies between March and May 2025. Adults redeeming a SEMA-WM prescription were invited to participate, with first-time users invited to a follow-up survey after 6 months.

RESULTS

Of 1470 individuals invited, 767 (52%) completed the questionnaire. Forty-five percent used 1 mg as their current dose, and 8% expected to reach 2.4 mg. Ten percent reported dosing SEMA-WM by "counting clicks" on the injection pen, in contrast with official prescribing guidelines. Users treated for 1-3 months reported a median weight loss of 6% (IQR 3-7), increasing to 12% (IQR 9-14), 17% (IQR 12-21), and 20% (IQR 15-26) for those treated for 3-6 months, 6-12 months, and > 1 year, respectively. Weight loss by treatment duration was similar among 1 mg users. Twenty-four percent reported reduced/discontinued concomitant medication use following SEMA-WM initiation, especially for muscle/joint pain (30%) and antihypertensives (24%). Reduced/discontinued medication use was similar among 1 mg users. Among 42 first-time users, 83% were still using SEMA-WM after 6 months, usually 1 mg (60%). Among users who had discontinued treatment (17%), side effects were the most reported reason.

CONCLUSIONS

Many SEMA-WM users remained on 1 mg and reported weight loss and medication reductions similar to the overall cohort. Findings indicate that some users appear to obtain the desired effect at 1 mg, underscoring the need for better guidance on individualized treatment trajectories.