Ozempic, a type 2 diabetes medication that has become viral recreationally worldwide due to its ability to help individuals lose weight. It has become the go-to drug for anyone attempting to lose weight who doesn’t want to change their diet, exercise, or are looking to lose weight fast. However, this unintended use has created a Canada-wide shortage which has immensely affected people who use this medication for its intended prescription purposes. Due to this shortage, people have become impatient and are beginning to question pharmacies if and when they will get their next dose.
One of The Pharmacists at Shoppers Drug Mart in Kamloops, B.C, Jeffrey Lawrence says, “This medication is primarily a diabetes medication and I have seen a lot of people use it for that and they seem to do really well with it. It can promote weight loss which is very beneficial to diabetic patients and it can also really help lower the amount of insulin that they need which helps lower weight loss. Because insulin itself can kind of promote weight gain and when they need less insulin they can actually save costs for the prescriptions too that’s kind of one major benefit. But it has also been growing in popularity for uses of weight loss medication as well. I have seen a lot of people do really well over a long period of time with consistent weight loss which is a real problem today.”
Lawrence describes the extraordinary demand for Ozempic, “It has affected our pharmacy primarily, just making it difficult to fill certain prescriptions. Ozempic has become very popular in the last several years and there’s a lot of demand for it but we can’t supply it. This creates a lot of challenges for trying to help people navigate through that either changing to some other medication or finding other ways to manage their diseases,”.
Obesity is a major problem with the health of people, especially in North America, and finding medications that can help with that is obviously beneficial. Ozempic is one of the better medications in terms of helping people lose weight. In terms of overall health and wellness of individuals, Ozempic can be very beneficial as many diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancers are more prevalent in the obese population, so using medications like Ozempic to help individuals lose weight can help reduce the potential risk of obesity-related diseases.
Patients reliant on this medication are urging its swift return to pharmacy shelves. While the pharmacist and team work hard to offer lower doses or similar alternatives, some patients insist on the exact dosage and brand. The uncertainty of availability is worrying, with a Kamloops resident sharing, “When I first heard about the shortage, I panicked thinking what I will do for my next dose since this medication is really important for my weight loss journey. I cannot miss any dose, so I have been calling the pharmacy to pharmacy in Kamloops hoping to find a box of Ozempic. This whole process has been a rollercoaster and I hope they restock this medication as soon as possible”. Lawrence among other pharmacists is diligently addressing patient needs, highlighting that while other medications in tablet form function similarly to Ozempic, they may cause more side effects due to daily intake and have a higher likelihood of nonadherence. However, there is promise in a new medication called Monjaro, which offers a hopeful alternative, potentially reducing the challenges faced by pharmacies like Lawrence’s worldwide.
The recreational use of Ozempic for weight loss is not just a local issue but rather a nationwide shortage, affecting those reliant on it for medical purposes. Pharmacists like Jeffrey Lawrence emphasize its importance for diabetic patients while acknowledging that the scarcity has left patients anxious and pharmacies seeking alternatives, like Monjaro, which has offered hope for a solution. This shortage underscores the significance of medications like Ozempic in managing health risks and emphasizes the necessity for accessible options for patients.
Story by: Jasreet Kaur Dhaliwal
