Ozempic is available in Dubai on prescription. However, there is an issue with supply and many pharmacies do not have stock of it.
The price of Ozempic 1mg — enough for four weeks — is Dh1,200.
However, narcotic, psychotropic and other controlled drugs/medicines of class A or B are neither freely available in the UAE, nor can they be freely imported into the country. They fall under the controlled/restricted items' category. You may bring in other prescribed medicines for personal use in normal quantity.
Ozempic is another popular injectable weight-loss medication in the UAE. Like Wegovy, the substance contains semaglutide and is FDA-approved, yet usage is not monitored.
Liraglutide (Saxenda) is a once-daily injection approved for weight loss and has been available for many years. “But the once-weekly administration has made Semaglutide (Ozempic) hugely popular as compared to the once-daily Saxenda,” said Dr. Pankajakshan.
Fat Dissolving Injection (Injection Lipolysis)
From 850 AED per session after discounts. Free consultation with highly qualified and experienced Doctors and dietician/nutritionist.
So What's the Difference Between Ozempic and Saxenda? The key difference between these two types of weight loss injection is that Ozempic is injected once a week, whereas Saxenda must be administered daily. Ozempic (Semaglutide) acts for longer, which is why it doesn't need to be taken so often.
Ozempic is a new medication for helping you manage type 2 diabetes. Ozempic contains the active ingredient, Semaglutide.
It's correct that Wegovy and Ozempic are two names for the same drug: semaglutide. Ozempic is the name of the drug as prescribed for people with diabetes.
The price of Ozempic 1mg — enough for four weeks — is Dh1,200. “There was a huge demand for the two injections. Mounjaro is out of stock while there are a few Ozempic injections,” Mr Hameed told The National.
The amount of medicine that you can bring into UAE:
For regular medicines which aren't on the controlled list, known as prescription-only medicines, you must carry your valid medical prescription and the amount of medicine you carry cannot exceed more than 3 months of treatment.
The UAE embassy advice says: “Individuals may bring medicine into the country for their personal use. Up to three months' supply of a prescription item can be brought into the country by a visitor and 12 months' supply by a resident if they can produce a doctor's letter or a copy of the original prescription.”
Ozempic Shortage in Australia
This off-label use of Ozempic and similar medications has led to an increase in demand for these drugs, which has caused a shortage in distribution in Australia and other parts of the world.
Saxenda is an approved weight loss medication, and is readily available in Australia. Cost is approximately $387 a month. The knock on effect from the Ozempic shortage, is that Trulicity which is manufactured by Ely-Lilly is now in short supply.
'Ozempic stocks are available in Australia; however, there will be limited and intermittent availability until June 2023,' the statement reads.
A person can stay on Ozempic® so long as they are tolerating the medication and it is deemed appropriate by their treating provider. There is no specific time frame when someone should stop taking Ozempic as it is a medication that is intended for chronic (long-term) use.
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.
You've hit a plateau
It's normal to eventually hit a point where your weight loss slows down, especially if you're not working on keeping or building up your muscle mass. Losing muscle along with fat slows your metabolism and can slow down your weight loss.
Mounjaro is a more effective drug than Ozempic. As demonstrated above, tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Mounjaro) leads to more clinically significant weight loss and blood sugar reductions than semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic).
Metformin
Metformin is a widely used first-line medication for treating type 2 diabetes and can also be considered a lower-cost alternative to semaglutide (Ozempic).
On the PBS, Ozempic costs Australians about $42 a month (four weekly injections). On a private prescription, the cost is about $132 a month.
Mounjaro has been studied head-to-head against Ozempic. After 40 weeks, people taking it saw a better reduction in hemoglobin A1C levels (average blood sugar over 3 months) compared to Ozempic. And they lost more weight, too. Mounjaro is only approved to treat Type 2 diabetes for now.
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.