Markov model puts semaglutide at $7,300 per QALY versus no treatment

The wire

1. 01A 25-year Markov simulation in adults aged 65 to 70 with BMI at least 35 and cardiovascular disease found semaglutide 2.4 mg cost $7,300 per QALY and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy $12,100 per QALY versus doing nothing.
2. 02Compared head to head, sleeve gastrectomy cost more but remained cost-effective against semaglutide at $53,700 per QALY, relevant to payers and formulary decisions.
3. 03Semaglutide was marginally more equitable across Black and White subgroups but only became distributionally cost-effective at high inequality aversion; results come from a model, not patient data.

From the source

The Conventional Cost-Effectiveness and Distributional Cost-Effectiveness of Semaglutide for Obesity Treatment

Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) · 2026 Oct 7 · Kulkarni NS, Hutton D, Rhyan C et al.