In a "pivotal moment", thousands of people living with obesity in England are set to be offered Wegovy, also known as semaglutide, on prescription after health officials approved its use. Billionaire Musk said he used Wegovy to keep in shape.
Semaglutide is an appetite suppressant, which is popular with celebrities including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who injects it to maintain his weight.
Wegovy is a higher-dose semaglutide injection approved for chronic weight management. The weight loss injection contains the same active ingredient as Ozempic, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, but in greater strengths of 2.4 mg, 1.7 mg and 1 mg for weight loss versus 0.5 mg and 1 mg for diabetes.
Its generic name is semaglutide. This is the same as Wegovy, which has been licensed as a weight loss drug in the UK and will soon be available on the NHS. Wegovy has a slightly higher dosage and is designed for weight loss, while Ozempic's primary purpose was as a diabetes treatment (more on that later).
On the PBS, Ozempic costs Australians about $42 a month (four weekly injections). On a private prescription, the cost is about $132 a month.
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.
Possibly, if a doctor recommends it. Currently, Ozempic is only approved for use in people with type 2 diabetes. However, doctors may prescribe Ozempic off-label for weight loss.
The TGA continues to advise people to source Ozempic only from Australian pharmacies with a valid prescription.
If you qualify for insurance coverage, Ozempic can cost as little as $25 for a monthly supply. However, without insurance, Ozempic costs around $892.06 per month, on average (NovoCare-a, 2022).
Wegovy is an injectable weight loss medication that is being prescribed by Australian health professionals and doctors.
Semaglutide, which is taken as a weekly injection that is self-administered, helps people with type 2 diabetes to control their blood sugar and in many cases also lose weight.
The drug is garnering a lot of attention as a way to lose weight on social media platforms such as TikTok. The story so far: The dramatic weight loss of Kim and Khloe Kardashian and other celebrities has been rumoured to be the work of an injectable drug, Ozempic, that's been called 'Hollywood's worst kept secret'.
The Aqualyx® solution is mixed with lidocaine (an anaesthetic) before injection for your comfort. A number of injections are administered to ensure the area of fat to be removed is fully covered. You will experience swelling /discolouration of the skin and tenderness, on most occasions you will have some bruising.
The injectable drug, initially only used as diabetes medication, is the first drug since Saxenda (2014) approved to treat chronic weight management in the 70% of American adults who are obese or overweight. Research continues to show the effectiveness of semaglutide injections for weight loss.
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.
Some patients who had been prescribed Ozempic for its registered use to treat type 2 diabetes were then prescribed alternate medicines, including Trulicity (dulaglutide).
How Long Can You Stay on Ozempic (semaglutide)? 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.
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.
Ozempic isn't approved for weight loss. But because of how it works, some people taking Ozempic lose weight as a side effect. 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.
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.