Is Ozempic available for those without diabetes? Ozempic is only approved by the FDA for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. People who don't have diabetes may be able to take Ozempic “off-label” with a prescription from their doctor. “Off-label” means for use other than what is approved by the FDA.
Currently, Ozempic is only approved for use in people with type 2 diabetes. However, doctors may prescribe Ozempic off-label for weight loss. For this purpose, they may prescribe the drug to someone who does not have type 2 diabetes.
Ozempic is approved for diabetes management, but some doctors prescribe it to be used off-label (which is when a medication is used to treat a condition other than its FDA-approved criteria) for weight loss, too.
Ozempic is a highly sought after drug for managing diabetes and weight management, but it is important to know that it is prescription only. In Australia, this means you will need to speak with your doctor and have a prescription written up before you can start taking Ozempic.
Who is eligible? Your healthcare provider can help you determine if you are a candidate for Ozempic. If you're an adult who's been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus, you may be eligible to take this drug. Typically, doctors prescribe Ozempic for patients who have tried medications like metformin without success.
If you don't have diabetes, taking Ozempic for weight loss is considered an off-label use. Wegovy, a higher-dose version of Ozempic, is approved to help people manage their weight. This includes adults and adolescents ages 12 and older who meet certain body mass index (BMI) criteria.
You might be a candidate for Ozempic if you meet these criteria: You have Type 2 diabetes. Your A1C level is uncontrolled with other interventions. You have cardiovascular disease or are at a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Those who have a body mass index (or BMI) of 30 or greater are eligible along with those who have a BMI of 27 or greater who also have other health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol that make weight loss important.
Following the DA communication, health professionals have now been asked to prescribe and dispense Ozempic for only those adults living with type 2 diabetes.
It's one of the prescription drugs on which Medicare, the federal health care program for people age 65 and older and for younger people with certain disabilities, spends the most money each year. But Medicare doesn't cover Ozempic for weight loss — only for diabetes.
Once you begin using Ozempic, some people can find it takes several weeks to see any weight loss, yet others may see some weight loss within a week or 2. While it can be difficult, try to remain patient — change looks different for everyone.
So, on average, with the recommended starting Ozempic dose of 0.25 mg, a 500 to 1000 calorie reduced diet, and exercise 3 times a week, you can expect to lose 3-5 pounds in the first month of treatment, which works out to about 3% of body weight for most overweight or obese individuals.
Ozempic is only intended and approved for people with type 2 diabetes. You should not take it solely for weight loss. Doing so may prevent patients who require the medication for blood sugar management from getting it. Interrupting their treatment with Ozempic creates serious health risks.
Ideally, you should not take Ozempic if you do not have diabetes, or if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning on becoming pregnant. Ozempic may cause serious (but rare) side effects, including thyroid C-cell tumors and medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC).
Medicare doesn't cover Ozempic (or Wegovy) for weight loss
Over 40% of U.S. adults age 60 and older are considered obese, according to 2017-2020 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite the prevalence of obesity among older adults, Medicare won't cover weight loss drugs, including Wegovy.
Do not use Ozempic® if you or any of your family have ever had MTC, or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
There has been a global shortage of Ozempic since early 2022 because of an unexpected increase in consumer demand because of off-label use of the drug for weight loss.
On the PBS, Ozempic costs Australians about $42 a month (four weekly injections). On a private prescription, the cost is about $132 a month.
Overseas-registered Ozempic is available
While the Australian-registered Ozempic is subsidised on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), the overseas-registered products currently are not.
When combined with lifestyle intervention, Ozempic doses of 0.5 to 1 mg per week can produce average weight loss of 6-10 pounds over 6 months (about 1-2 pounds per month) for some. However, results vary significantly between individuals based on factors like diet, activity levels and body composition.
No specific foods need to be avoided while taking Ozempic and there is no fixed Ozempic diet or meal plans — one less thing for you to worry about! For certain people, carbohydrates, sugary, high-fat, heavily processed and calorie-dense foods are off-limits when dieting.
Some individuals may actually gain more weight after stopping an obesity drug than they initially lost, Conde-Knape added. Studies have similarly shown weight rebound in people who stop taking Ozempic.
How much weight can you lose on Ozempic or Wegovy? In randomized clinical trials, patients receiving the 2.4 milligram dose of semaglutide lost a mean of 6% of their weight by week 12 and 12% of their weight by week 28, researchers reported.
Medicare doesn't cover Ozempic (or Wegovy) for weight loss
Over 40% of U.S. adults age 60 and older are considered obese, according to 2017-2020 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite the prevalence of obesity among older adults, Medicare won't cover weight loss drugs, including Wegovy.
The prescription drug Ozempic helps people with diabetes control their blood sugar. But its wild popularity is due to a side effect: rapid weight loss.