Health concerns have arisen as diabetes drugs face shortages worldwide and social media users boast of their properties as a “mysterious” weight loss hack.
Ozempic, made by the Danish company Novo Nordisk, is an injectable drug that regulates blood sugar and insulin. It is usually prescribed to adults suffering from her type 2 diabetes, the most common type of diabetes.
But the drug’s active ingredient, semaglutide, also mimics a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which targets regions of the brain that regulate appetite and food. It helps you feel full faster, which can lead to weight loss.
As a result, Ozempic has been touted as a miracle diet pill on the Internet. On TikTok, hashtag #Ozempic It already has over 360 million views.
Even Twitter’s new boss, billionaire Elon Musk, Ozempic credited – along with Wegovy, a similar drug – as one of the reasons he lost 13 kg.
On Facebook, groups dedicated to using Ozempic for weight loss have tens of thousands of followers.
Due to the surge in global demand, already Shortage of Ozempic in Australia It is expected to last until the end of March 2023.
Australian authorities are urging health professionals to stop starting new prescriptions for Ozempic and contact diabetics affected by the shortage to switch to alternative treatments.
The French National Agency for Drug Safety has also issued a similar directive. in September It urged doctors to start prescribing new GLP-1 drugs only for type 2 diabetes patients with a history of stroke or heart disease.
Authorities in the UK and Australia have also issued warnings to influencers promoting these drugs online. , limited to medicines that are not reimbursed by the public health insurance system.
Novo Nordisk said in an emailed statement that it takes the shortfall seriously and has invested $1.6 billion (€1.5 billion) in 2022 alone to expand its production capacity. The company’s global manufacturing facilities are operating 24/7 to keep up with “strong-than-expected” demand.
“We are committed to working closely with authorities in affected markets to minimize the impact on patients and are doing everything we can to meet demand as quickly as possible.”
What are the health risks?
The shortage affects not only diabetics who need to continue their treatment on a daily basis, but also those who are turning to these drugs just for weight loss.
François Montastruck, a pharmacologist at the University Hospital of Toulouse (Haute-Garonne), told a French television channel: France 3.
Ozempic procedure published by European Medicines Agency It states that nausea, diarrhea and hypoglycemia are “very common” side effects.
Prescribing guidelines vary by country, but Ozempic has not been extensively studied for use in patients who are not diabetic or overweight.
The prevalence of off-label use of diabetes drugs brings back memories of the Mediator scandal in France. The drug, which was widely prescribed as an appetite suppressant and for weight loss, was withdrawn from the French market in 2009 after it was linked to fatal heart disease.
Ozempic was not approved for weight loss, but in 2021 the FDA will approve its active ingredient, semaglutide, under the brand name Wegovy, for people who are obese or have at least one associated condition, such as high blood pressure or type 2. Used for chronic weight management in overweight adults. diabetes, or high cholesterol.
of US marketing authorization Wegovy describes “inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), gallbladder problems (including gallstones), hypoglycemia, acute kidney injury, diabetic retinopathy (damage to the retina of the eye), increased heart rate, and suicidal behavior or suicide. It specifies to display a warning about “thoughts”.
About Ozempicthe U.S. National Library of Medicine states that injectable drugs “may increase the risk of developing tumors of the thyroid, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), a type of thyroid cancer.” Animals developed tumors, but it is unknown whether the drug increases the risk of tumors in humans.
In a statement to Euronews Next, Novo Nordisk said it “adheres to high ethical standards and all regulations and does not promote or encourage off-label advertising of its products”. It is up to the doctor to choose the best treatment for the patient, he said.
The company’s GLP-1 drug has been on the market for more than a decade, and “to date, safety data from clinical trials and post-marketing safety studies have not identified risks that outweigh the benefits of treatment.” Hmm,” added the pharmaceutical company.
long list of repurposed drugs
This is not the first time drugs have been removed from their intended purpose and used for aesthetic reasons.
In 2021, BBC Documentary warned about the dangerous use of the medicinal syrup apetamine by female influencers, this time gaining weight rapidly and achieving extreme hourglass shapes. The drug, which is not approved in France or the UK, causes drowsiness and can even lead to liver failure and coma in severe cases.
Many beauty “tricks” have been slammed in recent years, including unlicensed drugs and off-label use. conversationtwo French researchers warned against the use of homeoplasmin, a medicated ointment containing boric acid that beauty experts specifically tout as a moisturizing balm for the lips.
The use of anti-hemorrhoid creams that are supposed to reduce puffiness and sagging under the eyes has also made headlines. is not suitable.
In general, health authorities recommend that products in the medicine cabinet be used with caution and under the advice of a medical professional.
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