Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. Adults Try At-Home Injections as GLP-1 Demand Overrides Needle Fear
Updated
Updated · The Seattle Times · Aug 22
Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. Adults Try At-Home Injections as GLP-1 Demand Overrides Needle Fear
3 articles · Updated · The Seattle Times · Aug 22
Summary
Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults has tried an injectable GLP-1 drug, highlighting how self-administered shots have moved from diabetes care into weight loss, IVF and anti-aging routines.
More than 60% of 2,000 people in a 2022 study reported some level of needle phobia, but clinicians say strong results from drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound are persuading patients to inject anyway.
IVF has added to the shift: annual U.S. treatment cycles—most involving at-home injections—have risen nearly 40% since 2018, while almost 10 million patients received a cosmetic injectable in 2024.
46 sanitation workers in New York City were pricked by discarded needles last year, nearly double 2019, showing how the spread of home injections is creating new disposal and safety problems beyond the clinic.