Researchers ask for more evidence on GLP‐1s and SUD treatment

“Quo vadis?” means “where are you going?” and that is the precise question alcoholism and gut researcher asks in the subtitle to a review he and his colleague published in JAMA Psychiatry January 21. The main title: “Prospects of GLP‐1 Therapies for Addiction and Mental Health Comorbidities,” sums up the picture – a headlong rush into various off‐label uses (“repurposing”) of the GLP‐1s into treatment of addiction. These medications, such as Ozempic, were created to treat diabetes. Very quickly, it was discovered that they could be used as and sold as diet drugs. As with other treatments appealing to weight loss – or addiction, for that matter ‐‐ the appeal to market these to a vulnerable population was irresistible. And so we are where we are, as the JAMA Psychiatry review shows.