Semaglutide Shows Health Benefits for CVD but Falls Short on Cost-Effectiveness at Current Drug Prices

Key Takeaways

• A simulation study assessed the cost of adding semaglutide therapy to usual care for US patients with overweight or obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD), but without diabetes. The study calculated cost-effectiveness by using 2023 US health care prices.
• Adding semaglutide to usual care projected lower major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) compared to usual CVD care alone.
• In order to make semaglutide therapy cost-effective for patients, current annual drug prices would need to be lowered 18% to $7055, which would result in a threshold of $120 000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained.

A simulation study estimated the potential cost-effectiveness of using semaglutide as a secondary prevention of CVD. The study used the CVD Model, which calculates CVD outcomes and costs in the US. This model evaluated the cost of treatment at 2023 US health care prices for patients with overweight or obesity and CVD but without diabetes.

The cost of adding weekly semaglutide treatment to usual care was compared with usual care alone for US patients age 45 or older with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or higher and a history of heart disease and stroke, but without diabetes.

The study found that adding semaglutide to usual care would increase yearly health care spending by $23 billion. Using semaglutide as a secondary prevention for CVD is estimated to lower MACE by 358 400 events at a ratio of $148 100 per QALY gained.

The authors said, “Semaglutide for secondary prevention of CVD in US adults with overweight or obesity but without diabetes is projected to yield meaningful health benefits.”

In order to make adding semaglutide to usual care cost-effective, annual drug costs would need to be reduced by 18% to $7055. This price reduction would make semaglutide therapy cost-effective at $120 000 per QALY gained.

Reference

Hennessy S, Penko J, Bellows BK, et al. Cost-effectiveness of semaglutide for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in US adults. JAMA Cardiol. 2026;11(3):229-238. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2025.5243