GLP-1-Based Therapies: Cost, Coverage, and Access for Transformative Drugs
- HealthXcelerate
Group Enrollment Option Popular with companies and institutions for team-wide training.
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Discover how payers and policy makers see GLP-1 medications and learn how coverage decisions about these therapies are made.
- Online; Self-Paced
Enroll and gain access to course materials to complete at your own pace.
$495
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Certificate
Earn a short course certificate of completion when you finish all coursework within 8 weeks.
3-4 Hours
Most people can expect to complete short courses in 3-4 hours.
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Overview
In GLP-1-Based Therapies: Cost, Coverage, and Access for Transformative Drugs, led by Benjamin Rome, MD, MPH, you will examine how GLP-1 receptor agonists are changing the treatment of diabetes, obesity, and related cardiometabolic conditions—and what that means for coverage, affordability, and health system performance. This course traces GLP-1 medications from basic science and early diabetes indications to current obesity and cardiometabolic uses. During the course, you will consider how patents, delivery devices, pricing, and competition for these therapies are likely to shape the next decade.
You will see how GLP-1 medications reveal pressure points across payers, PBMs, and benefit design; how direct-to-consumer models and compounding pathways emerged in response to shortages and coverage gaps; and how value, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact frameworks inform decisions in the U.S. and abroad. Using GLP-1 based therapies as a running case, you will build a practical framework you can apply to this and future high-cost, high-value therapies.
Learning Objectives
- Summarize the history of GLP-1 medications and the evidence supporting their safety and effectiveness for diabetes, obesity, and related conditions.
- Analyze how policies related to patent protection and competition shape the costs and availability of GLP-1 medications.
- Explain how value, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact frameworks affect coverage and pricing decisions in the US and abroad.
- Outline how GLP‑1 medications are adopted and accessed across different payers, patient groups, and identify key barriers to use.
- Describe the alternative access pathways that have emerged for GLP-1 based therapies and other medications in response to coverage restrictions.
- Apply a framework to evaluate how policies and strategies can promote broader access to GLP-1 medications and other transformative new medicines.
Who Should Participate
Health care professionals throughout the industry seeking better understanding of the health care system
What Will You Gain
- A brief history of how GLP-1 medications evolved and what makes their clinical impact distinctive.
- An understanding of how patent and regulatory exclusivities on drugs and delivery devices influence GLP-1 medication pricing and availability over time.
- A working knowledge of how different U.S. payers cover GLP-1 medications for diabetes and obesity—and how this impacts patient access and adherence.
- Fluency with value and affordability concepts and how they’re applied to GLP-1 medications.
- Insight into alternative access pathways, and when they expand access, where they introduce risk, and how they may widen or narrow disparities.
- A generalizable framework for evaluating new high-cost therapies across different organizational and policy contexts.
About the Course
HealthXcelerate courses offer a foundational, 360‑degree view of the health care ecosystem, drawing on the expertise of Harvard Medical School faculty and industry leaders. With a focus on the patient experience, the curriculum explores how the U.S. system compares with those of other countries, how clinical care connects to the broader health care industry, and how patients navigate and influence the system. Learners who complete HealthXcelerate courses build fluency and credibility in communicating key issues, critically assessing barriers to quality and access, and identifying opportunities for leadership and innovation.
Who Should Enroll
This program will benefit industry and clinical leaders across the health care ecosystem; research and innovation managers with increasing global responsibility; entrepreneurs and consultants; business and technology professionals who work closely with health care organizations; and those transitioning into the health care space.
Extend Your Learning and Save More
Whether you are building your medical science knowledge, preparing for advanced study, or expanding your understanding of the health care ecosystem, combining courses helps you connect concepts across disciplines while saving on enrollment.
You can bundle up to five HMX or HealthXcelerate courses. Bundle discounts apply to all courses selected. A bundle can consist of courses in the same upcoming enrollment period or the following enrollment period.
Two-course bundle: 25% discount
Three-course bundle: 30% discount
Four-course bundle: 35% discount
Five-course bundle: 40% discount
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With the HMX and HealthXcelerate Learning Pass, a $4,950 investment unlocks one year of unlimited enrollment to Harvard Medical School's portfolio of HMX and HealthXcelerate online courses, empowering you to advance your knowledge of health care and medical science in the areas that matter most to your goals. Start Learning
HMX and HealthXcelerate courses are ideal for organizations looking to train teams or larger groups. Group pricing is available, making it a cost-effective investment in team development.
Faculty Leads
Each course within the HealthXcelerate program features Harvard Medical School faculty and leading experts in the field.
Benjamin Rome
MD, MPH
- Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
- Health Policy Researcher and Physician, Brigham and Women's Hospital
HealthXcelerate is an excellent opportunity to learn more about all aspects of the U.S. health care system. The flexible course framework makes it easier to integrate into my busy work days than other programs.
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