According to a 2025 Kaiser Family Foundation poll, one in eight adults in the U.S. are currently taking a GLP-1 medication. This number has probably increased even more since the poll was conducted, as the medications have become more accessible.
For many people, GLP-1 medications (which are prescribed to manage type 2 diabetes or for weight loss) are literally life-saving. A 2024 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences estimates that GLP-1s can prevent more than 42,000 deaths each year, including 11,000 deaths among people with type 2 diabetes.
This is because obesity is a major risk factor for numerous health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and at least 13 different types of cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Until recently, GLP-1s have only been available as injections, which must be self-administered, most commonly, once a week. But last month, GLP-1s were introduced in pill form, a major innovation. This has left many people wondering: Are GLP-1 patches next? After all, patch medications are already available for certain medications for lowering blood pressure, pain management and hormone therapy.
We asked four reputable doctors specializing in weight loss if they think GLP-1 patches will be coming soon. Plus, they share their thoughts on the over-the-counter GLP-1 patches that are already available.
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Bariatric surgeon Dr. Betsy Dovec, MD, FACS, says that it’s reasonable to wonder if GLP-1 patches will hit the market soon. “In theory, a GLP-1 patch could offer some appealing advantages. Patches can provide steady, slow medication delivery, which might reduce side effects like nausea and eliminate the need for injections or strict pill-taking rules. For some patients, especially those who struggle with injections or adherence, that could be a real benefit,” she explains.
Unfortunately, Dr. Dovec says it’s not likely to happen anytime soon. “GLP-1 medications are particularly challenging to deliver through the skin. These drugs are relatively large peptide molecules, which makes transdermal absorption difficult,” she says, explaining that the reason the new semaglutide pill works is that it has specific absorption enhancers and strict dosing conditions. But patches are different. According to Dr. Dovec, patch medications only work when drugs have smaller molecules, which is not the case with semaglutide.
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Dr. Hector Perez, MD, a bariatric surgeon and an advisor at BestSurgeons.com, an online database that helps patients in the US and Mexico locate qualified surgeons, agrees that GLP-1 patches are unlikely because the drug’s molecules are so large. Additionally, he says that there aren’t any existing scientific studies showing that a GLP-1 patch would work. If GLP-1 patches were viable, Dr. Perez explains that pharmaceutical companies would be clambering to fund and produce them. There’s a reason why that’s not happening.
“Most GLP-1 medications are peptides, which are large, water-soluble molecules. Because water-soluble medications cannot penetrate the skin via conventional patches, innovations like microneedle transdermal systems would be needed to adapt existing GLP-1s to patches,” says Dr. Sameer Murali, MD, the medical director of obesity medicine at Memorial Hermann Health System. On top of that, he says that patches often struggle to deliver consistent medication levels when the molecular structure is large or when patients require higher doses.
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What About Over-The-Counter GLP-1 Patches?
Here’s the thing: GLP-1 patches already exist…sort of. There are over-the-counter drugs labeled as GLP-1 patches readily available on Amazon, by companies such as Ledisa, Ayojoy and Koccque.
“Overall, save your money. [Over-the-counter drugs] being labeled as GLP-1 patch is simply a way to catch the consumers’ attention without taking into account the lack of safety and efficacy these products provide,” notes Dr. Rami Lutfi, MD, a bariatric and general surgeon and medical director for bariatric and general surgery at Carrum Health.
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Dr. Lutfi explains that true GLP-1 medications are backed by clinical trials and are FDA-approved. That is not the case with over-the-counter GLP-1 patches. “Products currently being marketed as ‘GLP-1 patches’ are not delivering GLP-1 medications like semaglutide or tirzepatide through the skin. Instead, they typically contain supplements such as berberine, L-glutamine, chromium, resveratrol, garcinia cambogia or plant extracts,” emphasizes Dr. Dovec.
She explains that while these ingredients may have modest effects on blood sugar or metabolism when taken orally, there is no scientific evidence proving they work in patch form. Dr. Perez adds to this, also saying that over-the-counter drugs marketed as GLP-1 patches do not contain semeglutide or tirzepatide, the active ingredients in the FDA-approved prescription GLP-1 medications.
With all this in mind, if you are considering taking a GLP-1 medication, talk to your healthcare provider about being prescribed one that’s FDA-approved instead of falling for the clever marketing of GLP-1 patches. And if you are prescribed a GLP-1, don’t expect to be given a patch anytime soon.
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Sources:
Poll: 1 in 8 Adults Say They Are Currently Taking a GLP-1 Drug for Weight Loss, Diabetes, or Another Condition, Even as Half Say the Drugs are Difficult to Afford. Kaiser Family Foundation.Pandey A., Ye, Yang, Wells, C.R., et al. (2024). Estimating the lives that could be saved by expanding access to weight-loss drugs.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 121(43):e2412872121Consequences of Obesity. Centers for Disease Control and PreventionDr. Betsy Dovec, MD, FACS, bariatric surgeon with HCA Florida HealthcareDr. Hector Perez, MD, bariatric surgeon and an advisor at BestSurgeons.com, an online database that helps patients in the US and Mexico locate qualified surgeonsDr. Sameer Murali, MD, medical director of obesity medicine at Memorial Hermann Health SystemDr. Rami Lutfi, MD, bariatric and general surgeon and medical director for bariatric and general surgery at Carrum HealthHence then, the article about the truth about over the counter glp 1 patches according to doctors was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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