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. 2025 Oct 1;48(10):1761-1765.
doi: 10.2337/dc25-0236.

Racial Inequity in Prescription of Semaglutide Among Eligible People With HIV

Andrew W Hahn  1 , S A Ruderman  1 , R M Nance  1 , B M Whitney  1 , S Eltonsy  2 , L Haidar  2 , L N Drumright  1 , J Ma  1 , K H Mayer  3 , S Napravnik  4 , J J Eron  4 , K A Christopoulos  5 , L Bamford  6 , E R Cachay  6 , G Yendewa  7 , A Pettit  8 , M S Saag  9 , S L Heath  9 , R D Moore  10 , J C Keruly  10 , D S Batey  11 , G Chander  1 , M M Kitahata  1 , J A C Delaney  1 , H M Crane  1 , R J Fredericksen  1
Affiliations

Racial Inequity in Prescription of Semaglutide Among Eligible People With HIV

Andrew W Hahn et al. Diabetes Care. .

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate semaglutide use among people with HIV (PWH) with medical indications by race and ethnicity.

Research design and methods: We identified PWH in the Centers for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Clinical Systems (CNICS) cohort at nine sites eligible for semaglutide therapy between 2019 and 2023. Semaglutide eligibility was based on BMI ≥30 or HbA1c ≥6.5. We evaluated differences in semaglutide receipt among eligible PWH by race and ethnicity using relative risk regression adjusted for demographic characteristics.

Results: Among 11,617 eligible PWH, 774 (6.7%) received semaglutide (92% eligible by BMI ≥30, 62% by HbA1c ≥6.5, and 54% by both criteria). Eligible Black PWH were 20% less likely to receive semaglutide versus White PWH (prevalence ratio [PR] 0.80, 95% CI 0.67-0.95). The lower rate of semaglutide for Black (PR 0.66, 95% CI 0.53-0.83) and Hispanic PWH (PR 0.70, 95% CI 0.53-0.93) was more pronounced among those with higher HbA1c (≥8.0).

Conclusions: We describe inequitable semaglutide use among PWH, with lower initiation rates in eligible Black PWH.

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Conflict of interest statement

Duality of Interest. No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

Figures

None
Graphical abstract
Figure 1
Figure 1
Association of semaglutide prescription by race, stratified by clinical indication (BMI and HbA1c) and sex. Relative risk (RR) regression models with 95% CIs were adjusted for age, sex, site, and maximum BMI.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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