Ozempic, a type 2 diabetes drug, is extremely hard to find in the US after some celebrities and social media influencers touted it as a weight loss solution.
This medication is also known as semaglutide, Approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017, It is mainly used to treat diabetes, but has also been shown to be effective in weight loss.both ozone layer and Weggsanother semaglutide drug made by drugmaker Novo Nordisk, was also subsequently approved by Health Canada.
recent months Big names like Elon Musk Say they use semaglutide drug to lose weight.
But despite the FDA reporting ozone shortages in the U.S., Canada Drug Shortages website doesn’t report any shortages here.
Novo Nordisk Canada Inc. wrote in an email to CTVNews.ca: “We are working hard to ensure that the global shortage does not affect Canadians with diabetes taking Ozempic.” The company said the global shortage is part of its manufacturing base “unprecedented demand and a combination of temporary capacity constraints”.
People with type 2 diabetes get Ozempic injected into the stomach, thigh, or arm once a week. This drug stimulates the body’s own production of insulin and reduces appetite.
The drug could also be approved for weight loss under certain circumstances, Dr. Janice Hwang, chief of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said Tuesday on CTV News’ “Good Morning.”
“I think it’s very dangerous because there are patients who have diabetes and these drugs are very, very effective for them, and there’s a global shortage of these drugs,” Hwang said. “It’s not a quick fix for those looking to drop a few pounds over the holidays.”
The drug has many side effects, including nausea, vomiting and gastrointestinal upset, Huang said.
“There are more serious side effects, which are much less common, but there are things to consider like pancreatitis, anaphylaxis, etc.,” she said.
Ozempic is expensive in the US for those without insurance, The monthly supply cost is $892. in Canada, It is covered by many private insurance plans and some provincial drug plans.
“Patient costs will vary based on available coverage and pharmacy fees,” Novo Nordisk told CTVNews.ca in an email.
Wegovy with higher doses of semaglutide cost people about 28-day supply of $1,300 and approved Approved by the FDA in 2021 for the treatment of obesity. The drug costs about $4,726 a year in Canada, according to the Canadian Journal of Health Technology.
Despite its popularity, Hwang said the drug is not a solution for lifelong weight loss.
“Most of the time, the weight comes back,” she says.
Hey, @elonmusk what is your secret You look great, fit and healthy. weightlifting? Eat healthy? pic.twitter.com/mYeOUOLvgH
— Eva McMillan ♥️ (@EvasTeslaSPlaid) October 1, 2022
He Wei Gao Wei
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 2, 2022