INDIANAPOLIS – It is a hot topic of conversation right now that is impacting everyone from celebrities to your neighbors: weight loss medication.
You’ve likely heard of some of the big names Ozempic, Wegovy and Moujaro. The groundbreaking use of the drugs is changing people’s lives but it’s also causing issues for others who rely on the medication for reasons outside of weight loss.
The class of drugs that house Semaglutide and Terzepatide is called GLP-1. It’s been around for nearly two decades.
The recent off-label use of the diabetes medication has led to new FDA approvals and a race to the pharmacy to see who can get their hands on the “miracle drug,” helping diabetics or those seeking assistance in a journey to a healthier life.
It seems like a long-time wish has finally been granted. It is not a magic pill but some consider it a magic shot when it comes to weight loss.
“For some folks who have tried changing their diet, who have increased physical activity, tried everything else on the market these can be a great solution for them,” said Veronica Vernon, assistant professor and vice chair of pharmacy practice at Butler University.
Semaglutide and Terzepatide can seem like a quick fix. You take a shot once a week, and you lose weight.
Brands that fall under the GLP1’s are Ozempic and Wegovy (Semaglutide), Mounjaro and Zepbound (Terzepatide).
“You may see some initial weight loss but if not coupled with long-term health changes, lifestyle changes, what we see when people come off of these medications is they often regain their weight,” said Ashley Cuellar Gilmore, Director of Medical and Endoscopic Weight Loss Clinic at IU Health.
Someone who would be considered a good candidate for a weight loss drug is someone who:
- is obese or in some cases overweight
- has comorbidities
- is motivated to also make lifestyle changes
This medication is not designed for people who just want to lose a few pounds.
Medical professionals say they saw patient requests for the drugs start to explode about 2.5 years ago.
“These drugs used to be very easy to come by. They would come when I ordered them. I’d be able to get them to my patients. We always had them in stock and with this boom in TikTok and social media and this rise the demand has far outpaced supply,” said Vernon.
These pens are hard to come by regardless if you’re someone taking Semaglutide or Terzepatide or what brand you’re prescribed.
While this is an issue for people working towards a health goal, it is even more problematic for those who rely on this medication to control their diabetes.
“It is really frustrating though when I have my patients that have to go two, three, four, five, six months without it,” said Vernon. “One of the biggest concerns is that their diabetes isn’t going to be controlled and there are incredible risk factors if you have uncontrolled diabetes. It increases your risk of heart attack, it increases your risk of losing your vision, it impacts your kidneys,” said Vernon.
To help ease the issue for diabetics, providers are encouraging weight loss patients to only use the medications designed and approved for weight loss Wegovy and Zepbound.
“The medication that is indicated for diabetes should be saved for those patients that have diabetes and need access to their medication. So we don’t want to see a lack of access for those patients,” said Cuellar Gilmore.
The growing demand coupled with supply chain issues resulting from the pandemic kickstarted the lack of accessibility. According to the FDA and reports from manufacturers, the supply won’t catch up to demand until sometime next year.
“So we are going on nearly two years now of a shortage and it is not looking to get better,” said Vernon.
Anytime something goes viral or becomes popular there will always be a scammer trying to capitalize on the demand.
Online pharmacies have been popping up everywhere they don’t require you to see a provider and you get your weight loss medication shipped right to your door.
Although it’s often slightly more affordable than if you were to get the medication without insurance, research shows that 95% of online pharmacies are illegitimate.
“It could be Semaglutide or it could be Terzepatide or it could be Saline. It could be completely something different that was put in that syringe you have no way of knowing,” said Vernon.
The craze is not expected to slow down any time soon.
JP Morgan is forecasting that the GLP-1 market will exceed $100 billion by 2030 and by then 30 million people in the US will be using the drug.
As with any medication, there are potential side effects that come with these drugs.
The most common side effects are nausea, diarrhea, bloating and more rarely pancreatitis.
