Cost-Effectiveness of Pharmacologic Treatments in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: A Systematic Review for the American College of Physicians
Authors' conclusion
Current evidence on cost-effectiveness of pharmacologic treatment of overweight or obesity is hampered by poor-quality studies, limiting the ability to draw conclusions.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with overweight or obesity in a U.S. setting9 studies
- Comparison
- Pharmacologic treatments for overweight or obesity, compared with lifestyle modification or with each other
- Outcome
- Value by incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs): high (<$100 000 per QALY, or dominant), intermediate ($100 000 to $200 000 per QALY), low (>$200 000 per QALY), no value
Methodological detailsU.S. setting, trial-based and model-based evaluations, CHEQUE quality assessment, GRADE certainty assessment
- U.S. setting
- Trial-based and model-based evaluations
- CHEQUE quality assessment
- GRADE certainty assessment
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Value (ICER) in the 6 studies with moderate certainty
- Liraglutide vs lifestyle modification: low value
- Phentermine-topiramate vs lifestyle modification: high value
- Tirzepatide vs lifestyle modification: high value
- Semaglutide vs naltrexone-bupropion and vs phentermine-topiramate: low value
- Semaglutide vs liraglutide: high value
- Moderate certainty
Further pooled results
Risk of bias and certainty of evidence
- Studies at low risk of bias
- 4 of 9
- Pairwise comparisons with high certainty
- 0 of 42
- All studies were model-based
Original publication
Cost-Effectiveness of Pharmacologic Treatments in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: A Systematic Review for the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. Published 16 June 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →