People With Diabetes Struggle to Find Ozempic as It Soars in Popularity as a Weight Loss Aid

Ozempic is the same medication as the popular weight loss drug Wegovy, just at a lower dose.

Getty Images FILE – A woman doing an insulin injection. People with Type 2 diabetes use Ozempic to manage their blood sugar levels.

Tammie Rachell Largent-Phillips, a 52-year-old with Type 2 diabetes, has managed the condition over the past two years using a drug called Ozempic, which helps people with diabetes keep blood sugar levels in check.

But in November, she was forced to switch to another medication, insulin. The Ozempic she needed was no longer available at her pharmacy.

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In recent months, demand for the drug has soared, colliding with global supply issues. Together, it's led to a shortage of Ozempic.

But the popularity of Ozempic, or semaglutide, isn't because of rising rates of diabetes. Instead, it's because of its weight loss benefits, doctors say. At a higher dose, semaglutide is used for weight loss.

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Without medication, people with Type 2 diabetes risk blood sugar spikes that can potentially lead to serious health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, hearing loss and stroke.

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The FDA approved the new diabetes treatment Tzield, an injectable treatment that can slow the progression of Type 1 diabetes in patients with stage 2 and delay the need for injectable insulin by two years.
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