GLP-1 Perception Deep Dive

01. The Study

What We Did

We asked 900+ digital twins of real panelists, built from extensive AI-moderated behavioral interviews, to predict how individuals would respond to GLP-1 drug scenarios they had never been asked about before. By simulating their reactions across price sensitivity, behavioral segmentation, barriers and drivers, scenario combinations, channel influence, and segment-channel interactions, we generated predictive insights into GLP-1 perception at a depth and speed that traditional research cannot match.

02. The Brox.AI Platform

What We Do

Three capabilities that transform consumer research into predictive intelligence.

1

Digital Twins

1:1 digital twins of real people, built from 5+ hour AI-moderated interviews per individual. Not personas. Not segments. Not statistical models.

Nationally Representative

2

Predictive Simulation

Predict outcomes of real-world scenarios. Model recessions, rate changes, life events, and competitive moves. See who wins and loses before it happens. And crucially, why.

Unlimited Scenarios

3

Continuous Intelligence

Brox.AI is an always-on strategic resource. Ask follow-up questions, model hundreds of outcomes or decisions over minutes, weeks, or months.

Always On

03. Price Sensitivity

Price Is Not the Key Factor

We asked 900+ digital twins how likely they would be to try a GLP-1 drug at four monthly price points. Each twin rated their likelihood on a 1–5 scale, where 5 = Most Likely and 1 = Least Likely. The results show that even making GLP-1s free barely moves the needle.

Free

4%

6%

21%

63%

10% open

$10/mo

4%

7%

4%

20%

66%

11% open

$25/mo

3%

6%

3%

19%

70%

9% open

$50/mo

3%

5%

2%

17%

73%

8% open

5 – Most Likely

4 – Likely

3 – Neutral

2 – Unlikely

1 – Least Likely

Open = scored 4 or 5 (willing to try)

Key Finding

Free Doesn't Fix It

Offering GLP-1s for free produces virtually no difference from a $10 cost –10% vs 11% openness. Even at $0, 63% are "Least Likely" to try. The resistance is fundamentally attitudinal, not financial.

Pricing Strategy

Don't Discount –Communicate Value

The marginal drop from $10 to $50 is only ~3pp. Pricing strategy should focus on value communication rather than aggressive discounting –the real barriers lie in perceptions, trust, and side-effect fears.

04. Behavioral Segmentation

Segment Any Way You Want

With Brox.AI, you can create unlimited behavioral segments. Here we compare four attitudinal segments to reveal how different mindsets respond to GLP-1 drugs. Each bar shows the full distribution of likelihood scores (1–5) with the "open" percentage (scored 4 or 5) on the right.

Comparison A

Side-effect attitude –Avoidant vs Tolerant

Side-Effect Avoidant

18%

71%

9% open

Side-Effect Tolerant

12%

19%

12%

24%

34%

31% open

Comparison B

Medication attitude –Skeptic vs Medication-First

Medication Skeptic

16%

79%

3% open

1% score 5/5 –who are they? See deep dive below

Medication-First Optimizer

16%

21%

27%

37% open

5 – Most Likely

4 – Likely

3 – Neutral

2 – Unlikely

1 – Least Likely

Open = scored 4 or 5

Highest Opportunity

Medication-First: 37% Open

This segment shows 12x higher openness than Medication Skeptics. They already believe in pharmaceutical solutions –the path to conversion is about addressing specific GLP-1 concerns, not fundamental attitudes.

Key Barrier

Side-Effect Fear Cuts Openness by 3.4x

Side-Effect Avoidant segments are only 9% open vs 31% for Tolerant. Addressing side-effect perceptions through education and real-world evidence could unlock significant demand.

Deep Dive –Edge Case

The 1% of Medication Skeptics Who Score 5/5

With our unmatched ability to dive into incredible detail at the individual level, we can see exactly who that 1% is and uncover the underlying causes behind their decisions. That 1% corresponds to 4 digital twins, each revealing different reasoning:

Twin 1 –Serious Illness Override

Willing to consider GLP-1s when facing serious conditions. Pragmatic about medication despite general skepticism.

Twin 2 –Trusted Source Recommendation

Open to GLP-1s specifically because of recommendations from trusted healthcare providers or personal connections.

Twin 3 –Past Adverse Experience

Had a negative experience with depression medication years ago, driving deep distrust. Yet open to GLP-1s due to specific health anxieties.

Twin 4 –Health-Conscious Pragmatist

Proactive about health through supplements and exercise. Values natural approaches but pragmatic when necessary.

05. Barriers & Drivers

What Stops & What Starts GLP-1 Adoption

We asked our digital twins to explain the factors that prevent and encourage GLP-1 adoption. The results reveal that barriers are diffuse and emotional, while one driver dominates all others.

Barriers to Adoption

Side Effect Fears

53%

Negative GLP-1 Perceptions

44%

Prefer Natural / Lifestyle

42%

Healthcare System Distrust

30%

New Drug Distrust

19%

Long-Term Medication Fear

10%

Injection Aversion

9%

Medication Aversion

8%

Drug Interaction Concerns

6%

Past Bad Experience

No Perceived Need

Cost / Insurance

Drivers of Adoption

Doctor Recommendation

63%

Low Cost / Affordability

24%

FDA Approval / Proof

19%

Minimal Side Effects

18%

Weight Loss / Health Need

16%

Effectiveness / Results

15%

Family / Peer Success

Top Barrier

Side Effect Fears Dominate at 53%

Over half of all resistance traces back to side effect concerns. Combined with negative perceptions (44%) and preference for natural approaches (42%), the top 3 barriers are all perception-based –not financial.

Top Driver

Doctor Recommendation Towers at 63%

One driver dominates all others by nearly 3x. The most effective strategy is physician-led education that directly addresses side effect concerns –bridging the #1 barrier with the #1 driver.

06. Shifting Momentum Without Trial

How Different Support Methods Move the Needle

We tested how layering support measures –nutritionist access, peer groups, and symptom tracking –shifts the likelihood distribution without requiring a single trial dose

7%

20%

66%

5%

7%

6%

42%

40%

8%

43%

42%

6%

5%

39%

46%

5%

8%

6%

42%

39%

6%

8%

5%

43%

39%

5%

8%

6%

42%

40%

5%

8%

5%

42%

40%

$10/mo Baseline
(No Support)

Nutritionist
Support

Patient Support
Group

Symptom Tracking
App

Nutritionist +
App

Nutritionist +
Support Group

App +
Support Group

All Three
Combined

Baseline

Single Measure

Pairs of Two

All Three

Likelihood of Using GLP-1

5 – Definitely will

4 – Probably will

3 – Neutral

2 – Probably won’t

1 – Definitely won’t

The Hidden Shift

"Definitely Won't" Drops 26pp

Hard resistance collapses from 66% to ~40% with any support measure. These people don't convert to "yes" –they shift to "probably won't," a softer position that's far more persuadable over time.

Best Combination

Nutritionist + Group Peaks at 14%

Professional expertise paired with community support produces the highest positive intent –even higher than all three combined (13%). Adding a third measure yields diminishing returns.

Strategic Implication

Support Creates Future Converts

The 26pp shift from hard to soft rejection is the real ROI of support measures. These "probably won't" individuals are the pool from which future adopters will emerge with continued exposure and trust-building.

07. Channel Influence

Which Information Channels Move the Needle?

Since the main barrier to GLP-1 adoption is not cost but psychological –fear of side effects, skepticism toward medication –we tested how exposure to different information channels affects openness to trying a GLP-1 drug. Each digital twin was asked: would this channel make you more open?

Single Channel Impact –% more open after exposure

Endocrinologist or Obesity
Specialist Recommendation

41%

Primary Care Physician
Recommendation

40%

Friends or Family Having
Success with GLP-1s

19%

Nurse Practitioner /
PA Counseling

14%

Pharmacist
Consultation

5%

Healthcare
Podcast

3%

Signage in
Local Pharmacy

Social Media
Influencer

Deep Dive: How Other Channels Interact with PCP Advice

Primary Care Physician recommendation is one of the highest-influence channels at 40%. But does combining it with other channels amplify or diminish that effect? We tested three PCP pairings to find out.

PCP Alone (baseline)

40%

PCP + Friends/Family Success

53%

+13pp

PCP + Endocrinologist

46%

+6pp

PCP + Signage in Local Pharmacy

36%

−4pp

PCP + Signage + Family (recovery)

51%

+11pp

Top Finding

Social Proof Is the Strongest Amplifier

Friends/Family success stories paired with PCP advice reach 53% – the highest of any combination and a +13pp lift. People trust their doctor, but seeing someone they know succeed is what tips the scale.

Warning

Retail Context Actively Hurts

Pharmacy signage combined with PCP drops openness to 36% – 4pp below PCP alone. The commercial setting undermines clinical trust. However, adding family success stories back into the mix recovers it to 51%.

Strategic Implication

Channel Interactions Are Non-Linear

Dual clinical authority (PCP + Specialist) only adds 6pp, while social proof adds 13pp. The highest-impact strategy isn't stacking credentials – it's pairing clinical advice with relatable, real-world outcomes.

08 / Segment x Channel

How Different Segments Respond to Channels

Channel influence across five distinct behavioral segments

Considering a GLP-1

Overweight or Obese

Yo-Yo Dieting

Health-Literacy Challenged

All Respondents

Considering GLP-1

Considerers Respond at 2–19x the Rate

Those already considering a GLP-1 respond to nearly every channel at dramatically higher rates. Healthcare podcasts reach 25% of this segment vs just 3% overall. Social media influencers reach 19% vs 1%.

Health-Literacy Challenged

Low-Literacy Segment Caps at 23%

The health-literacy challenged segment shows dramatically lower responsiveness across all channels (23% max vs 61% for considerers). This group requires fundamentally different outreach through trusted local touchpoints.

Yo-Yo Dieting & Health-Lit Challenged

Near-Zero Effectiveness for Emerging Channels

Social media influencers, pharmacy signage, and healthcare podcasts show near-zero effectiveness for both the health-literacy challenged and yo-yo dieting segments. Traditional provider-led channels remain the only viable path to reach these groups.

09 / Platform Capabilities

What Brox.AI Enables

Transform any business question into predictive insight

∞

Unlimited Scenarios

Test any support measure, price point, messaging angle, or combination – and layer them together without panel fatigue

?

The “Why” Behind Decisions

Access reasoning at the individual level: not just what, but why

↗

Measure Momentum Shifts

Quantify how attitudes and intent shift across scenarios – see exactly what moves the needle on perception

☷

Any Segmentation

Slice results by demographics, psychographics, or any dimension you imagine

The Brox Advantage

Traditional research answers one question at a time. Brox.AI lets you explore a parallel universe of possibilities: testing every scenario, understanding every segment, and predicting every outcome before making costly business decisions.