Antidiabetic: what is Ozempic?
Injectable antidiabetic drug, Ozempic reduces blood sugar levels and has been touted on the TikTok social network for several months for its supposed slimming properties. There semaglutide, molecule of Ozempic, has an “appetite suppressant” effect, in particular because it slows down the passage of food from the stomach to the intestine, thus limiting the rise in sugar after meals. Taking this medicine can also be responsible for nausea and diarrheaeffects sometimes sought by people wanting to lose weight.
Why is Ozempic experiencing shortages?
In October, the manufacturer of Ozempic, the Novo Nordisk laboratory confirmed worldwide shortages of its antidiabetic drug. The cause ? If the number of diabetics in the world has increased in recent years (+15% in two years according to the European Center for Diabetes Studies), influencers and social networks could also be responsible for these drug shortages.
Since the summer of 2022, videos promoting the treatment have been popping up on TikTok with the hashtags #ozempic#ozempicchallenge Or #ozempicweightloss, which have accumulated more than 460 million views. In early October, billionaire Elon Musk also praised the merits of this product on the social network Twitter. To the point that sales are exploding: diabetics can no longer afford it and shortages are gradually being observed worldwide. In May 2022, Australian doctors were even called upon to limit the prescription to people with the disease only. “It was in Australia that we saw the first supply tensions. In France, they arrived in mid-September”, says Emmanuelle Lesourd, pharmacist in charge of the French branch of Novo Nordisk. In mid-November, the United States was also talking about a shortage.
Since the promotion of this drug on social networks, the demand increased by 40%. Should patients be worried? In France, the use of Ozempic is normally reserved for diabetics and the product should remain available to them. “We obtained from the laboratory and the ANSM that people followed for diabetes have access to their treatment”, reassures cardiologist Jean-François Thébaut, cardiologist and vice-president of the French Federation of Diabetics. “There is no particular peak or sudden increase in consumption in recent months“, reassures for the moment the ANSM, which nevertheless remains mobilized. “Insofar as this risk has been identified, it requires reinforced monitoring, so laboratories marketing analogues of GLP-1 (the class to which Ozempic belongs) have been asked for quarterly monitoring of the data available to them..” A first report is expected in early 2023.
What are the risks of taking Ozempic for weight loss?
Although a study dating from the month of May had confirmed theefficacy of this treatment in weight loss in overweight diabetics or who suffer from obesity, the treatment may be totally contraindicated in certain situations, in particular in the event of pregnancy or breastfeeding.
This treatment can also cause severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, severe constipation and even inflammation of the pancreas. If the treatment proved effective for this 37-year-old woman interviewed by The Parisian – she quickly lost 9 kilos after being prescribed Ozempic – it had an impact on her health. “For some time now I have noticed that I am starting to lose my hair. That, I didn’t see coming“, she indicates.
“There is no miracle drug“says Dr. Karen Price, interviewed by the Guardian in May, recalling that weight loss can be complex and is not limited to a single factor: it requires a global approach to lifestyle taking into account psychology, physical exercise or diet.
Sources:
- Ozempic: the disturbing promotion of an antidiabetic as an appetite suppressant on social networks, The ParisianDecember 19, 2022
- Elon Musk and TikTok raise fears of a diabetes treatment shortage? It’s true, 20 minutesOctober 28, 2022
- Shortage of diabetes medication Ozempic after TikTok users promote drug for weight loss, The GuardianMay 31, 2022
- Joint statement: Prioritization of semaglutide (Ozempic) supply for people with type 2 diabetes during shortage, May 17, 2022
