Surge in demand for drug behind dramatic weight loss

Overweight Aussies are stampeding to get hold of a diabetes drug proven to deliver massive weight loss. But it’s leaving diabetes patients in the lurch.

People with Type 2 diabetes are unable to get supplies of a crucial treatment after demand for the drug more than quadrupled when it was touted as a dramatic weight loss treatment.

Numerous online prescription and medical services are offering to prescribe Ozempic over the net and deliver it to a patients door if they want to use it to lose weight.

PBS statistics show demand for the medicine surged from just 31,190 scripts per month in January 2021 to 168,044 scripts a month in March this year.

The treatment works by suppressing appetite receptors in the brain and studies show patients who have used it have lost up to 15 per cent of their body weight.

The TGA medicines shortages website lists the drug as in short supply and indicates it will not be available until June 15.

It attributes he shortage to “unexpected increase in consumer demand”.

Numerous online prescription and medical services are offering to prescribe Ozempic over the net. Picture: istock

In addition to increased demand Novo Nordisk reported in December last year it was anticipating a shortage of the drug after a manufacturer in charge of filling syringes had to halt production because of concerns about good manufacturing practice.

In a statement the pharmaceutical company said it “is experiencing strong demand for Ozempic® (semaglutide)”.

“We understand this has resulted in intermittent availability at pharmacy. We encourage patients to contact their local pharmacy at least a few days prior to filling their script in order to ensure continuity of treatment.”

The company is encouraging pharmacists to limit dispensing to only one month of medication at a time.

“Our priority is to ensure people living with type 2 diabetes are able to access Ozempic (semaglutide) and we are taking actions towards continued stable supply,” the statement said.

Studies have found when used in much larger doses than recommended for treating diabetes the drug can produce dramatic weight loss.

Diabetes medicine semaglutide is marketed as a weight loss drug under the brand Wegovy Picture: Supplied

A study of nearly 2000 adults with a body mass index of 30 or over found the average weight loss over 68 weeks on the drug was 14.9 per cent compared to 2.4 per cent in the group that did not receive the drug.

The dose for weight loss is 2.4mg weekly but the dose for diabetes is 0.5mg or 1mg weekly dose.

“These medications help regulate appetite control in the brain, that is how they lower body weight, in terms of how they help people with diabetes, they work on the pancreas and help the pancreas make insulin in response to glucose. They also delay gastric emptying, they slow down how quickly that food enters into your intestines,” Associate Professor Samantha Hocking, endocrinologist, diabetes and weight loss expert from Sydney University told The Sunday Telegraph in January.

Novo Nordisk has reformulated and renamed the drug for use in weight loss with a product called Wegovy.

It is still being assessed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

“Ozempic® (semaglutide) is not indicated for weight loss by the TGA. Novo Nordisk does not support off-label use for any product,” the company said.