Almost 1 in 10 prescriptions in B.C. for diabetes drug Ozempic goes to Americans

About nine per cent of all prescriptions filled in B.C. for Ozempic, a drug intended to treat diabetes but is also touted by online influencers as a weight loss aid, were dispensed to Americans last year, according to the B.C. Health Ministry.

The province said it is monitoring the supply of Ozempic, which has been in short supply in the U.S., and its manufacturer is advising doctors to prescribe it only to treat people with Type 2 diabetes.

But so far neither expects any shortages of the drug in B.C.

The drug, manufactured by Novo Nordisk, was approved for use by Health Canada in 2018 and is designed “as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic controls in adults” who can’t tolerate metformin or for whom it doesn’t work as intended, said company spokeswoman Kate Hanna in an email.

It can also be used together with other anti-diabetic drugs, when diet and exercise don’t control blood sugar levels, she said.