TGA investigates influencers after diabetes drug Ozempic was touted as weight loss treatment.health

Australia’s drug regulator is investigating social media platforms and influencers after users began promoting diabetes medicine as a weight loss treatment.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) says the circulation of videos promoting Ozempic for weight loss has sparked a surge in demand, contributing to the ongoing global shortage of the drug.

Marketed in Australia under the brand name Ozempic, the drug is subsidized under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. But doctors also prescribe it “off label” for weight loss in obese patients.

At its March meeting, the Drug Benefits Advisory Panel did not recommend subsidizing semaglutide for weight loss due to the lack of long-term data. [the] medical budget”.

Australian law does not allow prescription drugs to be advertised to the public. This is to protect people from false and misleading claims and to ensure that drug information is balanced and accurate.

A TikTok influencer posted a video about his experience using Ozempic for weight loss.Some media outlets have reported on celebrities using the drug, describing it as a “game changer.” We have posted the headlines. These videos and reports often fail to mention potential side effects or precautions associated with their use.

A spokesperson for the TGA told The Guardian that it had “received reports of illegal Ozempic ads appearing on digital platforms such as social media, websites and media reports.”

“Once a video of Ozempic achieving rapid weight loss went viral on TikTok, the trend was also reported online and in other media. has developed into a global shortage.”

The spokesperson added that media organizations promoting Ozempic through positive news stories and headlines “may be in violation of Therapeutic Goods Act.”

“TGA is actively investigating Ozempic’s alleged illegal advertising,” they said. “We are working with several digital platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, eBay, Amazon and Gumtree.”

Advertising to the public can result in criminal penalties of up to $888,000 for individuals and up to $4.4 million for businesses, and civil penalties of up to $1.1 million for individuals and $11.1 million for organizations There is a nature.

Ozempic shows good results in obese people in clinical trials It is funded by pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.another Research published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism We found that once patients stopped using Ozempic, they were more likely to regain the weight they had lost.

drug use can cause serious side effects such as possible thyroid tumors Cancer, hypoglycemia, inflammation of the pancreas, etc. The most common side effects are nausea, diarrhea and constipation.

Not subsidized by the government, people prescribed Ozempic for weight loss pay about $130 per injection pen. It should be used along with lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise.

the country Approved drug for weight loss We have guidelines. The UK recommends prescribing it to some people living overweight or obese if they meet certain criteria, and its use should not exceed two years.

Semaglutide is a complex manufacturing process that requires dedicated equipment, so local production cannot solve the shortage. Another brand of semaglutide called Wegovy is listed in the Australian Therapeutic Goods Registry, but the manufacturer has not disclosed when it will be available in Australia or at what cost.

Diabetics prescribed Ozempic have been prescribed replacement medications, including Trulicity (dulaglutide), while they are running low. This leaves us with a lack of truthfulness.

TGA estimates that Ozempic may be available again in April.

Tim Gill, professor of public health and nutrition, said the availability of semaglutide is declining around the world.

“Australia may be a lower priority in the supply chain because the price of the drug that can be sold in Australia is lower than in other markets,” he said. It is a bit misleading to attribute it solely to the demand for

obesity charity obesity The Collective and the Weight Issues Network emphasized that obese people using Ozempic are using Ozempic “because a doctor prescribed the drug because it was deemed clinically important for health care.” I’m here.

“Obesity is a chronic, relapsing health condition with many factors and causes, including social, genetic, biological, and environmental, and is often inadequately managed by diet and exercise alone. There may be cases,” the organization said in a statement.