A new clinical trial will examine whether semaglutide, a GLP-1 drug already used for weight loss and diabetes, can reduce involvement with the criminal justice system and improve employment and housing stability among people with substance use disorders. The study, announced this week, goes beyond earlier trials that focused mainly on cravings and consumption, instead measuring real-world social outcomes.
The trial is a joint effort between the Center for Addiction Science, Policy and Research, a nonprofit focused on GLP-1s for addiction, and the Allegheny County Department of Human Services in Pennsylvania. It is set to begin in early 2027 and will enroll up to 1,200 participants diagnosed with alcohol use disorder, opioid use disorder, or both. Researchers will track outcomes using the county's linked administrative data, which can capture arrests, employment records, housing status, and health care use.
If the study finds a strong connection between semaglutide treatment and improved social stability, the results could be used to advocate for greater public investment in the medication. The trial is part of a broader wave of research exploring GLP-1 drugs as a treatment for addiction, though this is one of the first to examine such downstream effects on people's lives.