April 17, 2023 – People have flocked to Canada to get the dear, and really fashionable, weight reduction drug Ozempic. However Canadians are saying not so quick.
British Columbia, a province in Canada, is banning People from buying the drug, which was created to deal with kind 2 diabetes, “to ensure that diabetes sufferers in British Columbia don’t expertise a scarcity of the diabetes drug semaglutide (Ozempic) in an surroundings the place surging demand in some jurisdictions is creating shortages.”
The drug can price as much as $1,000 monthly within the U.S. In the meantime, in Canada, Ozempic can price round $300 a month.
The British Columbia Ministry of Well being launched a report that mentioned 1000’s of U.S. residents have been filling their Ozempic prescriptions in its area. Out of the Ozempic disbursed in British Columbia, 15% (15,798 doses) have been offered to People in January and February of this yr.
Don’t be shocked if different Canadian provinces observe swimsuit, mentioned Walter Oronsaye, PharmD, a Houston-based pharmacist who creates on-line content material with details about pharmaceuticals, together with drug shortages
“If Ozempic just isn’t used for diabetes functions, more often than not it’s not lined by insurance coverage,” he mentioned. “That $1,000 a month just isn’t one thing that lots of people can afford. So, I feel it’s totally probably for different components of Canada to ban it as properly.”
In actual fact, Canada’s nationwide well being minister mentioned late final week he is working with different provinces to forestall mass export of the drug to U.S. sufferers, Canadian media reported.
Mark Decerbo, PharmD, a Las Vegas-based pharmacist, mentioned docs ceaselessly prescribe “off-label drugs.” He additionally mentioned that British Columbia’s energy transfer could possibly be the very best transfer as properly.
“Undoubtedly, the recognition of this drug, each due to its efficacy, in addition to its social media footprint, have contributed to shortages, as have the omni-present international provide chain disruptions of the uncooked supplies wanted to provide the drug,” he mentioned. “Generally, I totally assist British Columbia’s ban on Ozempic purchases for People, as any nation’s focus ought to all the time be on prioritizing the well being and well-being of its personal residents over others.”
Going Viral
Probably the most controversial points within the Ozempic dispute: Individuals who don’t have diabetes have been taking Ozempic solely for weight reduction, leaving some individuals with kind 2 diabetes with out important treatment.
Social media platforms, together with movie star endorsements, have drastically boosted the recognition, and gross sales, of Ozempic for weight reduction – which has added to the shortages.
“There are Fb teams providing methods for individuals to get Ozempic at cheaper costs,” Oronsaye mentioned. “I’m positive there’s a gaggle that found that folks may purchase Ozempic in Canada.”
Folks with out diabetes who take Ozempic say the controversy has been overblown. Annie Brown, 33, would not have diabetes and takes the drug to shed kilos. After being obese her entire life, she loves that Ozempic makes your abdomen “really feel full even if you happen to’re not.”
Brown referred to as Ozempic “a miracle drug”. She misplaced 14 kilos inside 6 weeks of taking the drug, which is made by Novo Nordisk. She has gotten some on-line pushback, with some saying that she is going to achieve weight if she stops taking it. “You are stealing from the diabetics” and “It is best to really feel ashamed of your self” are different feedback she has acquired.
Carol Sortore, who’s pre-diabetic however doesn’t have kind 2 diabetes, takes Ozempic to shed some pounds after her physician prescribed the treatment, which her insurance coverage additionally covers. She says she understands the frustration of people that have diabetes if they cannot get Ozempic because of shortages, but additionally mentioned they’ve “a plethora of insulin choices out there to them,” which isn’t all the time the case for overweight individuals.
“If a person and their doctor have decided that this can be a plan of action for somebody with out diabetes to take, then I don’t assume they need to really feel responsible,” Sortore mentioned.
