The Study
Cost-Effectiveness of Semaglutide in Patients With Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease.
This study is like a computer game that predicts what might happen if people took a drug, but no real people were actually studied. It can show possible outcomes based on guesses, but it can't prove what really happens in real life.
Analysis score
Maximum 0 for a computational/algorithm study.
Where the score came from
Scientists used a computer model to see if giving semaglutide to people who are overweight and have heart disease (but not diabetes) is worth the cost over their lifetime.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 50 / 100
Quality score
Based on clinical experience or non-systematic literature reviews. The lowest level of evidence as they are most susceptible to bias and personal perspective.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1The result suggests semaglutide could be worth the cost if priced lower, especially for people with heart disease and obesity.
- 2Semaglutide costs $72,962 for each extra year of healthy life.
- 3If the price drops by half, it costs $37,190 per extra healthy year.
- 4At the lower price, there's an 80% chance it's a good use of healthcare money.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
The Canadian journal of cardiology
Year
2025
Authors
Elissa Rennert-May, Braden Manns, F. Clement, E. Spackman, David Collister, G. Sumner, Jenine Leal, R. Miller, Derek S. Chew
Related Content
Claims (4)
If you're obese and have heart disease but not diabetes, taking semaglutide might lower your chances of having a serious heart problem by 20%.
If the price of semaglutide is cut in half, it might become a good value for treating people with heart disease who are overweight or obese—even if they don’t have diabetes—because it could add healthy years of life for less than $50,000 per year of quality life gained.
For people who are overweight or obese, have heart disease but not diabetes, the biggest things that decide whether semaglutide is worth the cost are how well it prevents death and how much the drug itself costs.
For people who are overweight or obese, have heart disease but not diabetes, taking a weekly semaglutide shot might help them live healthier, longer lives — and it would cost about $73,000 for each extra year of good-quality life, according to computer modeling.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.