Who doesn't want to be able to enjoy eating---one of life’s absolutely divine pleasures---without having to worry about the consequences of their decisions on their waistline?

Unfortunately, while many of us have tried a myriad of different diets and exercise plans (or roamed every aisle of a supermarket looking for healthy snack options), still, there is no silver bullet or one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to achieving our fitness goals.

For that reason, it was no surprise when many health-conscious Aussies were drawn to claims made by many on social media involving Ozempic, a drug whose side effects include weight loss.

Now, the Therapeutic Goods Administration is conducting an investigation on social media platforms and so-called ‘influencers’ over their endorsements of the prescription drug online.

‘Advertising of prescription medicines directly to the public, including through social media, is illegal in Australia and fines and civil and criminal penalties can apply,’ a spokesperson for TGA explained.

Ozempic is an injectable prescription medication used weekly to improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.

‘Prescription medicines are higher risk medicines and should only be determined as an appropriate treatment option in consultation with a professionally trained medical practitioner and not on the basis of consumer advertising,’ they added.

Ozempic is a prescription anti-diabetes drug with a weight-loss side effect that has taken the internet by storm. Screengrab Credit: TikTok/@ohhiris

Individuals found to be violating rules on advertising of medicines face fines of up to $1.1 million according to legal reference website ICLG (see section 1.7).

Those who swear by the drug’s effects on social media say it helped a lot in reducing their weight.

On content-sharing platform TikTok, the hashtag ‘#ozempic’ has a combined 398.8 million views across the globe.

‘#ozempicaustralia’ meanwhile has 18.3 million combined views.

‘So far I’ve lost 10kg in total… I’m around 72kg now, [and I] started at 82[kg],’ one user wrote last year.

Another claimed: ‘I’ve lost four kilos in two weeks!’

However, there are also circulating appeals made on behalf of diabetics in dire need of Ozempic.

‘Stop using Ozempic, if you don’t have diabetes, you don’t need it,’ one user who claimed they were pre-diabetic said.

In a separate interview, TGA head Adjunct Professor John Skerritt highlighted that there are some serious side-effects linked to the drug, at least in some cases.

‘It’s not harmless. Apart from… diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting, there’s some people who can get cancers or tumours in their thyroid, their pancreas can swell, stomach pain, depression, kidney damage, and so forth — in a minority of patients, I should emphasise,’ he said.

While Ozempic has had glowing reviews as a weight-loss product, the TGA has cautioned the public against its listed side-effects. Stock Image Credit: Pexels/Andres Ayrton

Professor Skerritt also issued an appeal to those considering sourcing Ozempic from overseas.

‘One of the things that we are strongly advising people not to do is to try to go online and buy this from China, or Eastern Europe, or the US or North America.’

‘Like any prescription medicine, you should be working with your doctor … to see if it’s right for you.’

Key Takeaways

• The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is looking into social media platforms and so-called 'influencers' over their publicised use of Ozempic, an anti-diabetes medication.
• The TGA has stressed that advertising of prescriptions on social media is unlawful and that hefty punishments might be due for those found erring.
• One of Ozempic's side effects is weight loss, which is why it has been prescribed off-label by health professionals as a weight-loss treatment.
• Skyrocketing demand for the medication has crippled global supply of the drug, putting many people with type 2 diabetes at risk of their conditions worsening.
• Adjunct Professor John Skerritt, head of the TGA, has also appealed for Aussies not to attempt sourcing Ozempic from overseas.
• Professor Skerritt also warned of other more serious side effects of Ozempic, including thyroid cancer and kidney damage.

The shortage of Ozempic first hit Aussie headlines in November last year over a spike in demand partly attributed to doctors’ ‘off-label’ prescriptions of the drug.

The TGA also addressed this, and indicated that their hands were tied as far as regulating Ozempic’s clinical use.

‘The TGA… is unable to prevent doctors from using their clinical judgement to prescribe Ozempic for other health conditions,’ they said.

Affected Aussies were advised to consult their doctors regarding alternate treatment plans. The TGA also said it authorised the use of alternatives also using semaglutide, the active ingredient of Ozempic.

Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company producing the drug, told the TGA that it ‘will not be available in Australia from mid-November 2022 until the end of March 2023.’

On the topic of weight-loss, you might be interested to find out which tips not to follow if want to lose some weight, or read up on a few weight loss secrets from a nutritionist.

So, what are your thoughts on this move by the TGA? Do you think it’s high time more action be done to control the supply of Ozempic in the country?

Tell us your thoughts below!

 

[flip5]

Yes, control it, My husband is type 2, and 130 kg.- which doesn't help. but to not be able to getis new type 2 mediation, after being on it for just 6 weeks, and having a slowly falling BSL reading, because there was none available, is not quite fair on those who really need it. If others do have to take it for weight control, there should be guidelines set.
P Clinton

 

[Trixie Sammy]

Who doesn't want to be able to enjoy eating, ---one of life’s absolutely divine pleasures --- without having to worry about the consequences of their decisions on their waistline?

Unfortunately, while many of us have tried a myriad of different diets and exercise plans (or roamed every aisle of a supermarket looking for healthy snack options), still, there is no silver bullet or one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to achieving our fitness goals.

For that reason, it was no surprise when many health-conscious Aussies were drawn to claims made by many on social media involving Ozempic, a drug whose side effects include weight loss.

Now, the Therapeutic Goods Administration is conducting an investigation on social media platforms and so-called ‘influencers’ over their endorsements of the prescription drug online.

‘Advertising of prescription medicines directly to the public, including through social media, is illegal in Australia and fines and civil and criminal penalties can apply,’ a spokesperson for TGA explained.

Ozempic is an injectable prescription medication used weekly to improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.

‘Prescription medicines are higher risk medicines and should only be determined as an appropriate treatment option in consultation with a professionally trained medical practitioner and not on the basis of consumer advertising,’ they added.

View attachment 11526

Ozempic is a prescription anti-diabetes drug with a weight-loss side effect that has taken the internet by storm. Screengrab Credit: TikTok/@ohhiris

Individuals found to be violating rules on advertising of medicines face fines of up to $1.1 million according to legal reference website ICLG (see section 1.7).

Those who swear by the drug’s effects on social media say it helped a lot in reducing their weight.

On content-sharing platform TikTok, the hashtag ‘#ozempic’ has a combined 398.8 million views across the globe.

‘#ozempicaustralia’ meanwhile has 18.3 million combined views.

‘So far I’ve lost 10kg in total… I’m around 72kg now, [and I] started at 82[kg],’ one user wrote last year.

Another claimed: ‘I’ve lost four kilos in two weeks!’

However, there are also circulating appeals made on behalf of diabetics in dire need of Ozempic.

‘Stop using Ozempic, if you don’t have diabetes, you don’t need it,’ one user who claimed they were pre-diabetic said.

In a separate interview, TGA head Adjunct Professor John Skerritt highlighted that there are some serious side-effects linked to the drug, at least in some cases.

‘It’s not harmless. Apart from… diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting, there’s some people who can get cancers or tumours in their thyroid, their pancreas can swell, stomach pain, depression, kidney damage, and so forth — in a minority of patients, I should emphasise,’ he said.

View attachment 11527

While Ozempic has had glowing reviews as a weight-loss product, the TGA has cautioned the public against its listed side-effects. Stock Image Credit: Pexels/Andres Ayrton

Professor Skerritt also issued an appeal to those considering sourcing Ozempic from overseas.

‘One of the things that we are strongly advising people not to do is to try to go online and buy this from China, or Eastern Europe, or the US or North America.’

‘Like any prescription medicine, you should be working with your doctor … to see if it’s right for you.’

Key Takeaways

• The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is looking into social media platforms and so-called 'influencers' over their publicised use of Ozempic, an anti-diabetes medication.
• The TGA has stressed that advertising of prescriptions on social media is unlawful and that hefty punishments might be due for those found erring.
• One of Ozempic's side effects is weight loss, which is why it has been prescribed off-label by health professionals as a weight-loss treatment.
• Skyrocketing demand for the medication has crippled global supply of the drug, putting many people with type 2 diabetes at risk of their conditions worsening.
• Adjunct Professor John Skerritt, head of the TGA, has also appealed for Aussies not to attempt sourcing Ozempic from overseas.
• Professor Skerritt also warned of other more serious side effects of Ozempic, including thyroid cancer and kidney damage.

The shortage of Ozempic first hit Aussie headlines in November last year over a spike in demand partly attributed to doctors’ ‘off-label’ prescriptions of the drug.

The TGA also addressed this, and indicated that their hands were tied as far as regulating Ozempic’s clinical use.

‘The TGA… is unable to prevent doctors from using their clinical judgement to prescribe Ozempic for other health conditions,’ they said.

Affected Aussies were advised to consult their doctors regarding alternate treatment plans. The TGA also said it authorised the use of alternatives also using semaglutide, the active ingredient of Ozempic.

Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company producing the drug, told the TGA that it ‘will not be available in Australia from mid-November 2022 until the end of March 2023.’

On the topic of weight-loss, you might be interested to find out which tips not to follow if want to lose some weight, or read up on a few weight loss secrets from a nutritionist.

So, what are your thoughts on this move by the TGA? Do you think it’s high time more action be done to control the supply of Ozempic in the country?

Tell us your thoughts below!

 

[Trixie Sammy]

I am a type 2 I can not it anywhere my levels have gone up to 18 I am so worried.

 

[OperaticZeus]

My daughter is type 2 diabetic and was on this but now cant find it anywhere

 

[Frangipanni]

While I understand that people might like to take this to lose weight, Many type 2 diabetics are at their wits end trying to get the drug to keep their blood sugars under control. Many have been forced to take a different drug called truicity and now that is just as impossible to get. Please think of the people that need it just to live normally.

 

[Megter70]

We have the same problem! My husband is a long-term insulin-dependent diabetic & we are also having difficulties getting his Ozempic.

 

[JehazFNQ]

I’m not diabetic but a friend who is tells me that initially he found the side effects of ozempic very challenging and, with his doctor’s agreement he stopped taking it. Some time later he decided he would give it another go as he was having severe problems with his eyes, linked to his Type 2 diabetes. To his shock, he found that the ozempic no longer worked in curbing his appetite and then, after some weeks of persevering and getting back on track, he was unable to access it as so many people were using it to stop overeating and lose weight. He, like so many, NEEDS this drug. Doctors NEED to start being more accountable; they don’t have to bow to pressure and prescribe a drug meant for diabetics to folks who can’t be bothered to address their over eating habit. They have plenty of options available; a drug meant for diabetics should not be one of those options, especially when it leads to short or no supply for those who really need it.

 

[Luckyus]

Who doesn't want to be able to enjoy eating, ---one of life’s absolutely divine pleasures --- without having to worry about the consequences of their decisions on their waistline?

Unfortunately, while many of us have tried a myriad of different diets and exercise plans (or roamed every aisle of a supermarket looking for healthy snack options), still, there is no silver bullet or one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to achieving our fitness goals.

For that reason, it was no surprise when many health-conscious Aussies were drawn to claims made by many on social media involving Ozempic, a drug whose side effects include weight loss.

Now, the Therapeutic Goods Administration is conducting an investigation on social media platforms and so-called ‘influencers’ over their endorsements of the prescription drug online.

‘Advertising of prescription medicines directly to the public, including through social media, is illegal in Australia and fines and civil and criminal penalties can apply,’ a spokesperson for TGA explained.

Ozempic is an injectable prescription medication used weekly to improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.

‘Prescription medicines are higher risk medicines and should only be determined as an appropriate treatment option in consultation with a professionally trained medical practitioner and not on the basis of consumer advertising,’ they added.

View attachment 11526

Ozempic is a prescription anti-diabetes drug with a weight-loss side effect that has taken the internet by storm. Screengrab Credit: TikTok/@ohhiris

Individuals found to be violating rules on advertising of medicines face fines of up to $1.1 million according to legal reference website ICLG (see section 1.7).

Those who swear by the drug’s effects on social media say it helped a lot in reducing their weight.

On content-sharing platform TikTok, the hashtag ‘#ozempic’ has a combined 398.8 million views across the globe.

‘#ozempicaustralia’ meanwhile has 18.3 million combined views.

‘So far I’ve lost 10kg in total… I’m around 72kg now, [and I] started at 82[kg],’ one user wrote last year.

Another claimed: ‘I’ve lost four kilos in two weeks!’

However, there are also circulating appeals made on behalf of diabetics in dire need of Ozempic.

‘Stop using Ozempic, if you don’t have diabetes, you don’t need it,’ one user who claimed they were pre-diabetic said.

In a separate interview, TGA head Adjunct Professor John Skerritt highlighted that there are some serious side-effects linked to the drug, at least in some cases.

‘It’s not harmless. Apart from… diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting, there’s some people who can get cancers or tumours in their thyroid, their pancreas can swell, stomach pain, depression, kidney damage, and so forth — in a minority of patients, I should emphasise,’ he said.

View attachment 11527

While Ozempic has had glowing reviews as a weight-loss product, the TGA has cautioned the public against its listed side-effects. Stock Image Credit: Pexels/Andres Ayrton

Professor Skerritt also issued an appeal to those considering sourcing Ozempic from overseas.

‘One of the things that we are strongly advising people not to do is to try to go online and buy this from China, or Eastern Europe, or the US or North America.’

‘Like any prescription medicine, you should be working with your doctor … to see if it’s right for you.’

Key Takeaways

• The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is looking into social media platforms and so-called 'influencers' over their publicised use of Ozempic, an anti-diabetes medication.
• The TGA has stressed that advertising of prescriptions on social media is unlawful and that hefty punishments might be due for those found erring.
• One of Ozempic's side effects is weight loss, which is why it has been prescribed off-label by health professionals as a weight-loss treatment.
• Skyrocketing demand for the medication has crippled global supply of the drug, putting many people with type 2 diabetes at risk of their conditions worsening.
• Adjunct Professor John Skerritt, head of the TGA, has also appealed for Aussies not to attempt sourcing Ozempic from overseas.
• Professor Skerritt also warned of other more serious side effects of Ozempic, including thyroid cancer and kidney damage.

The shortage of Ozempic first hit Aussie headlines in November last year over a spike in demand partly attributed to doctors’ ‘off-label’ prescriptions of the drug.

The TGA also addressed this, and indicated that their hands were tied as far as regulating Ozempic’s clinical use.

‘The TGA… is unable to prevent doctors from using their clinical judgement to prescribe Ozempic for other health conditions,’ they said.

Affected Aussies were advised to consult their doctors regarding alternate treatment plans. The TGA also said it authorised the use of alternatives also using semaglutide, the active ingredient of Ozempic.

Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company producing the drug, told the TGA that it ‘will not be available in Australia from mid-November 2022 until the end of March 2023.’

On the topic of weight-loss, you might be interested to find out which tips not to follow if want to lose some weight, or read up on a few weight loss secrets from a nutritionist.

So, what are your thoughts on this move by the TGA? Do you think it’s high time more action be done to control the supply of Ozempic in the country?

Tell us your thoughts below!

Anybody that takes medications for non-existent conditions deserves every side effect as a result.

 

[Ricci]

I haven't been able to get ozempic or trulicity for at least the last 6 months. In that time my blood sugar readings have gone from a very respectable 5-5.5 to 10-15, not good. I have changed to Byetta but it's a very poor substitute and for me not very helpful. I have also had to up my Novomix injections to ridiculous amounts to try to help with mixed success but god alone knows what the long term harm this is doing to my body. Us diabetics desperately need this medicine to help our bodies stay on an even keel, life is difficult enough on a day to day basis without the added hassle of not having the correct medication.

 

[Petra]

I am a type 2 I can not it anywhere my levels have gone up to 18 I am so worried.

Cut your carbs @Trixie Sammy ... follow a LOW CARB LIFESTYLE DIET ! There are 1000's of LOW CARB AND KETO recipes on the internet. There are 1000's of Facebook groups with delicious recipes. Your bloodsugar will go from 18+ within the normal range, 4.2 mmol/l to 6.9 mmol/l in 2 days ! I am diabetic and I know what I'm talking about. Stay away from starches, wheat and grains, OATS, bread, rice, pasta, there are alternatives. Here is a facebook page for you

Low Carb Nation Australia

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

 

[Hoy]

I have been on it for about 10 months. I am Diabetic and it has been wonderful to regulate my sugar levels. It is so hard to keep getting a supply and I am like some drug addict going from chemist to chemist, just to stay on this life saving drug. Doctors should be struck off fo prescribing it for weight loss. This is not a easy drug, you cant keep eating everything as one person posted above. It turns you off food, you feel nauseous ad loses interest in food. Having uncontrollable bowles is not fun either! So obease people can have surgery to slow down their eating and just leave diabetic drugs for the correct use, until this supply issue is sorted. Comming of it is dificult as it takes moths to get back to taking a full dose and really plays havoc on yoour insulin levels. Which i have had to do twice now. it really is unfair to make Diaetic compete with Obese for the slim supply of this drug.

 

[joshram]

I am a type 2 I can not it anywhere my levels have gone up to 18 I am so worried.

Try low carb eating,

 

[joshram]

I have T2 diabetes. I would not use ozempic. The side effects can be horrific and with my family's track record I would probably get them. i would rather have one disease than several.

 

[Penny4]

My husband has been type 2 for many years due to his family's genetics. He keeps it under control with medication & a healthy diet. However, Ozempic would be helpful for pre diabetics with weight loss & diabetics who's readings are erratic that can cause internal damage.

 

[Halona]

Who doesn't want to be able to enjoy eating, ---one of life’s absolutely divine pleasures --- without having to worry about the consequences of their decisions on their waistline?

Unfortunately, while many of us have tried a myriad of different diets and exercise plans (or roamed every aisle of a supermarket looking for healthy snack options), still, there is no silver bullet or one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to achieving our fitness goals.

For that reason, it was no surprise when many health-conscious Aussies were drawn to claims made by many on social media involving Ozempic, a drug whose side effects include weight loss.

Now, the Therapeutic Goods Administration is conducting an investigation on social media platforms and so-called ‘influencers’ over their endorsements of the prescription drug online.

‘Advertising of prescription medicines directly to the public, including through social media, is illegal in Australia and fines and civil and criminal penalties can apply,’ a spokesperson for TGA explained.

Ozempic is an injectable prescription medication used weekly to improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.

‘Prescription medicines are higher risk medicines and should only be determined as an appropriate treatment option in consultation with a professionally trained medical practitioner and not on the basis of consumer advertising,’ they added.

View attachment 11526

Ozempic is a prescription anti-diabetes drug with a weight-loss side effect that has taken the internet by storm. Screengrab Credit: TikTok/@ohhiris

Individuals found to be violating rules on advertising of medicines face fines of up to $1.1 million according to legal reference website ICLG (see section 1.7).

Those who swear by the drug’s effects on social media say it helped a lot in reducing their weight.

On content-sharing platform TikTok, the hashtag ‘#ozempic’ has a combined 398.8 million views across the globe.

‘#ozempicaustralia’ meanwhile has 18.3 million combined views.

‘So far I’ve lost 10kg in total… I’m around 72kg now, [and I] started at 82[kg],’ one user wrote last year.

Another claimed: ‘I’ve lost four kilos in two weeks!’

However, there are also circulating appeals made on behalf of diabetics in dire need of Ozempic.

‘Stop using Ozempic, if you don’t have diabetes, you don’t need it,’ one user who claimed they were pre-diabetic said.

In a separate interview, TGA head Adjunct Professor John Skerritt highlighted that there are some serious side-effects linked to the drug, at least in some cases.

‘It’s not harmless. Apart from… diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting, there’s some people who can get cancers or tumours in their thyroid, their pancreas can swell, stomach pain, depression, kidney damage, and so forth — in a minority of patients, I should emphasise,’ he said.

View attachment 11527

While Ozempic has had glowing reviews as a weight-loss product, the TGA has cautioned the public against its listed side-effects. Stock Image Credit: Pexels/Andres Ayrton

Professor Skerritt also issued an appeal to those considering sourcing Ozempic from overseas.

‘One of the things that we are strongly advising people not to do is to try to go online and buy this from China, or Eastern Europe, or the US or North America.’

‘Like any prescription medicine, you should be working with your doctor … to see if it’s right for you.’

Key Takeaways

• The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is looking into social media platforms and so-called 'influencers' over their publicised use of Ozempic, an anti-diabetes medication.
• The TGA has stressed that advertising of prescriptions on social media is unlawful and that hefty punishments might be due for those found erring.
• One of Ozempic's side effects is weight loss, which is why it has been prescribed off-label by health professionals as a weight-loss treatment.
• Skyrocketing demand for the medication has crippled global supply of the drug, putting many people with type 2 diabetes at risk of their conditions worsening.
• Adjunct Professor John Skerritt, head of the TGA, has also appealed for Aussies not to attempt sourcing Ozempic from overseas.
• Professor Skerritt also warned of other more serious side effects of Ozempic, including thyroid cancer and kidney damage.

The shortage of Ozempic first hit Aussie headlines in November last year over a spike in demand partly attributed to doctors’ ‘off-label’ prescriptions of the drug.

The TGA also addressed this, and indicated that their hands were tied as far as regulating Ozempic’s clinical use.

‘The TGA… is unable to prevent doctors from using their clinical judgement to prescribe Ozempic for other health conditions,’ they said.

Affected Aussies were advised to consult their doctors regarding alternate treatment plans. The TGA also said it authorised the use of alternatives also using semaglutide, the active ingredient of Ozempic.

Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company producing the drug, told the TGA that it ‘will not be available in Australia from mid-November 2022 until the end of March 2023.’

On the topic of weight-loss, you might be interested to find out which tips not to follow if want to lose some weight, or read up on a few weight loss secrets from a nutritionist.

So, what are your thoughts on this move by the TGA? Do you think it’s high time more action be done to control the supply of Ozempic in the country?

Tell us your thoughts below!

 

[Halona]

I am one of the many who got caught up in the Ozempic charade. My husband went around all the Chemist in our area, but to no avail.

I am one of the lucky ones, I didn't have any side affects and it had no effect on me losing weight. I went to the Clinic, they just doubled the dose of my Diabex (one of 3 tablets I was taking).

I have also been lucky in that I have controlled my blood count to an average of 5.6. It did go up after I binged on some chocolate over Christmas, but quickly dropped back down. I feel for the diabetics that are facing the sugars going up and up.

I feel, and felt strongly when it first started to appear that well to do people were all buying Ozempic to lose weight and I feel that the Doctor's should have been able to refuse to fulfill their prescriptions - but I guess money talks. I had heard stories that it costs a lot more to buy if it was for weight loss.

 

[helooney3]

Who doesn't want to be able to enjoy eating, ---one of life’s absolutely divine pleasures --- without having to worry about the consequences of their decisions on their waistline?

Unfortunately, while many of us have tried a myriad of different diets and exercise plans (or roamed every aisle of a supermarket looking for healthy snack options), still, there is no silver bullet or one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to achieving our fitness goals.

For that reason, it was no surprise when many health-conscious Aussies were drawn to claims made by many on social media involving Ozempic, a drug whose side effects include weight loss.

Now, the Therapeutic Goods Administration is conducting an investigation on social media platforms and so-called ‘influencers’ over their endorsements of the prescription drug online.

‘Advertising of prescription medicines directly to the public, including through social media, is illegal in Australia and fines and civil and criminal penalties can apply,’ a spokesperson for TGA explained.

Ozempic is an injectable prescription medication used weekly to improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.

‘Prescription medicines are higher risk medicines and should only be determined as an appropriate treatment option in consultation with a professionally trained medical practitioner and not on the basis of consumer advertising,’ they added.

View attachment 11526

Ozempic is a prescription anti-diabetes drug with a weight-loss side effect that has taken the internet by storm. Screengrab Credit: TikTok/@ohhiris

Individuals found to be violating rules on advertising of medicines face fines of up to $1.1 million according to legal reference website ICLG (see section 1.7).

Those who swear by the drug’s effects on social media say it helped a lot in reducing their weight.

On content-sharing platform TikTok, the hashtag ‘#ozempic’ has a combined 398.8 million views across the globe.

‘#ozempicaustralia’ meanwhile has 18.3 million combined views.

‘So far I’ve lost 10kg in total… I’m around 72kg now, [and I] started at 82[kg],’ one user wrote last year.

Another claimed: ‘I’ve lost four kilos in two weeks!’

However, there are also circulating appeals made on behalf of diabetics in dire need of Ozempic.

‘Stop using Ozempic, if you don’t have diabetes, you don’t need it,’ one user who claimed they were pre-diabetic said.

In a separate interview, TGA head Adjunct Professor John Skerritt highlighted that there are some serious side-effects linked to the drug, at least in some cases.

‘It’s not harmless. Apart from… diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting, there’s some people who can get cancers or tumours in their thyroid, their pancreas can swell, stomach pain, depression, kidney damage, and so forth — in a minority of patients, I should emphasise,’ he said.

View attachment 11527

While Ozempic has had glowing reviews as a weight-loss product, the TGA has cautioned the public against its listed side-effects. Stock Image Credit: Pexels/Andres Ayrton

Professor Skerritt also issued an appeal to those considering sourcing Ozempic from overseas.

‘One of the things that we are strongly advising people not to do is to try to go online and buy this from China, or Eastern Europe, or the US or North America.’

‘Like any prescription medicine, you should be working with your doctor … to see if it’s right for you.’

Key Takeaways

• The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is looking into social media platforms and so-called 'influencers' over their publicised use of Ozempic, an anti-diabetes medication.
• The TGA has stressed that advertising of prescriptions on social media is unlawful and that hefty punishments might be due for those found erring.
• One of Ozempic's side effects is weight loss, which is why it has been prescribed off-label by health professionals as a weight-loss treatment.
• Skyrocketing demand for the medication has crippled global supply of the drug, putting many people with type 2 diabetes at risk of their conditions worsening.
• Adjunct Professor John Skerritt, head of the TGA, has also appealed for Aussies not to attempt sourcing Ozempic from overseas.
• Professor Skerritt also warned of other more serious side effects of Ozempic, including thyroid cancer and kidney damage.

The shortage of Ozempic first hit Aussie headlines in November last year over a spike in demand partly attributed to doctors’ ‘off-label’ prescriptions of the drug.

The TGA also addressed this, and indicated that their hands were tied as far as regulating Ozempic’s clinical use.

‘The TGA… is unable to prevent doctors from using their clinical judgement to prescribe Ozempic for other health conditions,’ they said.

Affected Aussies were advised to consult their doctors regarding alternate treatment plans. The TGA also said it authorised the use of alternatives also using semaglutide, the active ingredient of Ozempic.

Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company producing the drug, told the TGA that it ‘will not be available in Australia from mid-November 2022 until the end of March 2023.’

On the topic of weight-loss, you might be interested to find out which tips not to follow if want to lose some weight, or read up on a few weight loss secrets from a nutritionist.

So, what are your thoughts on this move by the TGA? Do you think it’s high time more action be done to control the supply of Ozempic in the country?

Tell us your thoughts below!

I was given Ozempic for my Diabetes one year ago. I suffered Nausea every day. Doctors told me the Nausea would go away but it didn‘t. So I told the Doctor to take me off it or I would stop taking it …. She took me off it and gave me something else. The nausea disappeared immediately. I will never take Ozempic again. For a medication to shrink my stomach and make me very sick it is definitely not for me. Doctors are singing it’s praises most likely because of all the money that has been invested in it.