SPOTLIGHT ON: OZEMPIC
Hollywood’s misuse of the drug has fuelled a shortage for diabetics
Unless you have diabetes, it’s likely you hadn’t even heard of Ozempic before the start of this year. Now, according to Chelsea Handler, “Everyone is on Ozempic.” In an episode of Call Her Daddy, Handler said that she too was “unknowingly” taking the injection (typically used to treat Type 2 diabetes) after her doctor prescribed her a medication called semaglutide – Ozempic’s chemical name – for weight loss.
Of course, Handler isn’t the only celeb taking a stab at Hollywood’s “skinny pen”, as Elon Musk openly credits semaglutide for helping him lose almost 13kg. Meanwhile, rumours suggest Kim Kardashian used the drug to help fit into Marilyn Monroe’s famous ‘Happy Birthday Mr President’ dress for the 2022 Met Gala.
Currently, #ozempic has more than 537 million views on TikTok, but as celebs and influencers sing Ozempic’s praises, there is a worldwide shortage of the drug.
So, what do we know about Ozempic, and what do the availability issues mean for those who need it?
WHAT IS OZEMPIC?
Ozempic is the brand name for the once-weekly semaglutide injection that mimics a gut hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP1).
Semaglutide, also sold as Wegovy and Rybelsus, makes the pancreas secrete insulin, reduces blood glucose levels and suppresses appetite.
WHAT IS OZEMPIC USED FOR?
The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave Ozempic the green light to treat Type 2 diabetes in 2017, with Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) following suit in 2019.
As researchers found the drug also led to significant weight loss, the FDA approved Ozempic to treat obesity (in patients with a BMI of over 35) in 2021.
While Americans can use the drug to help shed the kilos, general practitioner and Femma CEO Dr Emma Rees says medical professionals in Australia can only officially prescribe Ozempic to treat Type 2 diabetes. “There are a variety of medications which are used to control diabetes and semaglutide is one of the medications available for this,” she explains. “There are circumstances when doctors may prescribe these medications for diabetic patients, usually when blood sugars are not being controlled well enough on oral regimes.”
Regardless of these restrictions, Dr Rees explains she has seen an uptick in patients asking about the drug for weight loss, while other Aussie practitioners are prescribing it “off-label”.
WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF OZEMPIC?
Although we’re tying some of Hollywood’s most glamorous to the drug, possible Ozempic side effects aren’t so glamorous and are largely gastrointestinal (think nausea, diarrhoea, stomach pain, constipation, and vomiting). Other more serious side effects are less common, however they can include:
• Inflammation of the pancreas
• Low blood sugar
• Kidney failure in people who have existing kidney problems
• Serious allergic reactions, including swelling to the throat, face, lips and tongue
• Thyroid tumours, including cancer. Head of Monash University’s department of physiology, Professor Michael Cowley, says while the side effects in people who don’t meet the medical criteria to use Ozempic are likely the same, they are still unknown.
“Many of [the users driving demand] would not be considered medically obese … we do not know the risks associated with people of lower body weight using these drugs,” he says.
WHAT IMPACT WILL THE OZEMPIC SHORTAGE HAVE?
According to the TGA, current supplies of Ozempic won’t meet demand from all patients with Type 2 diabetes – and for those hoping for an “off-label” prescription – until at least April 2023.
Dr Rees explains as Ozempic has led to better blood-glucose stability for many diabetic patients, the shortage will have stressful and, in some cases, devastating outcomes.
“This is a group of people who are on multiple agents for diabetes and semaglutide can be really helpful to maintain better control of diabetes, and help to limit the long-term impact of diabetes for those who are on it,” Dr Rees says.
“Some people will stabilise on the alternative medications, but for others the reduced availability [of Ozempic] has become a real problem for the control of their condition.”