Italy saw a sharp rise in spending on anti-obesity medications last year, with total costs climbing 34.9% and private-sector expenditure jumping 75.8%, according to a report by Il Fatto Quotidiano.
The newspaper, citing data from Italy’s medicines agency AIFA, said the surge reflects growing demand for weight-loss treatments across the country. The figures were part of a broader analysis of pharmaceutical spending that also showed total drug costs reaching €39.3 billion, a 6% increase year-on-year, with 1.9 billion packages dispensed, as reported by ANSA.
The boom in anti-obesity drugs is part of a wider trend highlighted in the OsMed 2025 report, which noted continued growth in medications for diabetes and obesity while antibiotic use declined, according to quotidianosanita.it. AIFA has also issued clarifications regarding the therapeutic innovativeness of these treatments, responding to questions about their classification and reimbursement status.
The sharp increase in private spending suggests many patients are paying out-of-pocket for these drugs, likely due to limited public coverage or supply constraints. Corriere della Sera reported that AIFA’s data marks a shift in how these conditions are being treated, signaling a change in clinical practice rather than just a temporary spike in demand.
Observers will be watching whether Italian regulators adjust reimbursement policies to keep pace with demand, and whether the growth in private spending continues as new weight-loss drugs enter the market.
