Ozempic is one of the hottest drugs on the market, and it’s time regulatory bodies employed stricter safeguarding practices when prescribing this “miracle” drug.
In 2018, Ozempic, a glucagon-like peptide-1, was approved to be used by people with diabetes to regulate blood sugar levels, however, its off-label use as a weight loss drug has gained greater traction.
While the initial and main controversy surrounding Ozempic was global shortages caused by increased demands and requests for Ozempic, as of April 2024, Ozempic’s supply at all doses has been restored in Canada. This means the greatest contention surrounding Ozempic currently is its off-label use and the drug’s potential contribution to harmful diet culture.
Most importantly, I’m against Novo Nordisk’s—the company that produces Ozempic—employment of “aggressive” marketing campaigns that shroud billboards, streetcars, and even Olympic stadiums. The oversaturation of Ozempic ments can lead to dangerous over-requesting and a narrowed awareness of the drug for its off-label, weight loss effects. This means a dangerous push forward for medically supervised diet culture.
Using weight loss drugs is concerning because of their ability to create drug dependence and exacerbate body image issues. My concern goes toward younger s, in particular teenagers, who are increasingly using weight loss medications at younger ages. Although many adolescent s are capable of making medical decisions as mature minors, they’re not necessarily ready for the ongoing commitment of taking Ozempic, as halting its use could result in regaining the lost weight. Long-term adverse effects of using high-dose, Ozempic for weight loss also remain elusive; effects are only extrapolated from drugs like Saxenda, a weight loss drug with similar mechanisms of action.
With so many patients’ mental and physical wellness at stake, regulatory bodies need to first educate themselves and the public on the population that comprises Ozempic s.
Despite FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System receiving hundreds of mental health concerns from patients taking Ozempic and similar drugs with Semaglutide as its main ingredient, there’s a lack of data on age demographics or the amount of Ozempic s with eating disorders like atypical anorexia.
To minimize deleterious effects on mental health, healthcare providers should first ensure patients are attempting non-medical, traditional weight loss methods first. If they haven’t been attempted, healthcare policies should encourage physicians to connect their patients with experts, like dieticians, who can recommend healthy weight loss before prescribing Ozempic.
It’s the responsibility of Health Canada to study the long-term effects of using Ozempic for weight loss. Health Canada must also publicize data on current Ozempic s and amend their eligibility criteria so mental health considerations are explicitly outlined and equally emphasized as physical considerations to prevent anorexia nervosa reactions.
Only when gaps in demographics and knowledge are addressed, can room for drug misuse be minimized. The decision to prescribe Ozempic must be made with care because after all, it’s a long-term drug requiring long-term commitment, with adverse health effects still being studied.
Nay Chi is a fourth-year Health Sciences student and The Journal’s Assistant Photos Editor.
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