Diabetics scramble to find drugs

Scarcity being driven by weight loss benefits

Florida diabetics are struggling to buy prescription drugs to help control their blood sugar now that the medications have gone viral on social media as a weight-loss solution.

The demand from dieters for Ozempic, which is sold as a liquid solution administered as an underthe-skin injection, has caused shortages of the medication along with Trulicity, also an injectable diabetes medicine. The buzz has created serious issues for people who actually need the prescribed medications to control diabetes.

“We’re getting calls from our patients who can’t find it,” said Dr. Jonathan Fialkow, a cardiologist at Baptist Health who works with diabetics with cardiovascular issues. “People need it for medical conditions, and pharmacies are out of it. The manufacturers aren’t able to keep up.”

Another investigation found thousands of calls going unanswered to Broward County’s regional 911 system, sometimes leading to tragic results. Reporters found a system that was dangerously understaffed and overwhelmed, with leaders blaming each other over who should be in charge.

C o u n t y l e a d e r s responded by raising call-takers’ pay. Problems persist, however, and the Sun Sentinel continues to report on them.

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