A shortage of Ozempic has prompted doctors to stop prescribing the drug to patients who only want to lose weight
Semaglutide has been hailed by celebrities as a ‘miracle’ weight-loss drug but the clamor to keep it is fueling a national shortage, health officials say.
Doctors and pharmacists have been warned to stop prescribing diabetes drugs for those who simply want to lose weight.
Celebrities including Elon Musk and Jeremy Clarkson have hailed semaglutide as a ‘miracle’ weight-loss drug.
But health officials warn that the scramble to get hold of it — and similar drugs — is exacerbating a national shortage, putting the lives of diabetics at risk.
Ozempic is available on the NHS as a treatment to manage blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
In May, it was also approved for weight loss under the brand name Wegovi but has not yet launched in the UK due to supply issues.
Ozempic is available on the NHS as a treatment to manage blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. In May, it was also approved for weight loss under the brand name Wegovi but has not yet launched in the UK due to supply issues.
Wegovi and Ozempic work by triggering the body to produce a hormone called GLP-1, which is naturally released from the gut after a meal.
Delays have led to an increase in ‘off-label’ prescriptions – where drugs are issued for something other than their intended use – which is fueling shortages.
This means diabetics are struggling to keep up with essential medicines, which officials say can have ‘serious clinical implications’.
Yesterday, the Department of Health called on all healthcare providers to issue a national patient safety alert warning of shortages and against non-medication for obesity.
It says: ‘Supply issues have led to increased demand for these products for licensed and off-label indications
‘Off-label use of these agents for obesity management is strongly discouraged. Existing stock must be reserved for use by diabetics.
‘This deficiency has serious clinical implications for the management of patients with type 2 diabetes.’
The warning is related to several drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), including Ozempic, Ribelsus, Trulicity, and Byduron.
The drugs work by hijacking the brain to suppress appetite and reduce calorie intake, leading to substantial weight loss.
Trials of weekly jabs of Wegovi showed that those on it lost almost 12 percent of their body weight – and their chances of developing type 2 diabetes fell by more than half.
Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical giant behind it, and Ozempic said it continued to experience occasional supply constraints due to ‘unprecedented levels of demand’.
Last night, the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it was working with officials to ensure diabetics could access these drugs or ‘other clinically appropriate alternatives’.
The MHRA’s Dr Laura Squire said: ‘Where there is a potential supply shortage of a medical product which may pose a risk to public health, we are prepared to use our regulatory processes to reduce those risks where appropriate.
‘Each situation is assessed on a case-by-case basis to determine the most appropriate course of action.’
A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: ‘We expect all healthcare providers, whether NHS or private, and those with prescribing responsibilities to take due account of national guidelines such as National Patient Safety Precautions and Medicines Supply Notices.
The guidelines are clear that these drugs should only be prescribed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, in order to preserve the supply of diabetic patients.
‘Drugs that are only licensed to treat type 2 diabetes should not be routinely prescribed for weight loss.’
A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk said: ‘We support the additional guidance issued for healthcare professionals and the off-label use of diabetes medications, particularly for the management of obesity, is strongly discouraged.
‘We do not promote, advise or encourage the off-label use or misuse of any of our medicines.’
Retired health care assistant forced to travel 40 miles for diabetes medication
Elizabeth Urquhart, a retired healthcare assistant, has a list of 50 chemists she uses to get hold of Ozempic.
Elizabeth Urquhart, a retired healthcare assistant, has a list of 50 chemists she uses to get hold of Ozempic.
She was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 20 years ago and relies on weekly injections of medication to control her blood sugar levels.
But the drug has become increasingly difficult to come by – often forcing her to travel up to 40 miles from her home in Skelmersdale, West Lancashire, to find a pharmacy that stocks it.
She said: ‘It’s like gold dust but I need it. This is the only medicine I am using.
‘When I need to fill my prescription I have to call every chemist. I have a list of 50 and usually get down to about half until I find one that is in stock.
‘We’re sometimes traveling 30 to 40 miles to get medicine but it’s so important I definitely do it.’
The 66-year-old says the drug has changed his life, helped him manage his condition and is now the only medicine he can take.
In February this year she was rushed to the hospital and nearly died of a serious complication caused by a reaction to other drugs she was taking.
He added: ‘This now means that I am not allowed to take any SGLT2 inhibitor drugs, leaving Ozempic as my only available drug.
‘I’ve managed by the skin of my teeth every month to get medication but it really shouldn’t be and it’s all brought on by vain people who want to lose weight the easy way – stealing our much needed medication.’