Prescriptions for Ozempic have exploded in recent years in Australia and around the world, driven by its growing reputation as a fat burner and a related trend towards off-label prescribing of the drug, which was designed to treat type 2 diabetes. be.
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A reduced version of the drug, called Wegovy, is not yet available in Australia.
Wittert said that when Ozempic was properly prescribed for type 2 diabetes, it was a life-saving drug for many people. He said it could also be highly beneficial for patients whose health and quality of life are compromised by obesity.
“I use this to treat diabetic patients who have severe obesity and significant obesity-related comorbidities, and it has completely changed their lives. “It’s very frustrating and sometimes distressing for people not to be able to get it,” he said.
Wittert said Ozempic worked on at least three areas of the body. It acts on the intestines and slows gastric emptying, which may help explain cases of ileus.
He said it can also affect the pancreas and, in rare cases, cause pancreatitis. Finally, he said it acts on the brain and reduces appetite.
Since 2020, 91 cases of pancreatitis after using Ozempic, also known as semaglutide, have been reported to the TGA.
“It is important to note that reporting an adverse event to the TGA or listing it in DAEN does not necessarily mean that a causal relationship with the medicine has been established,” a TGA spokesperson said. Ta.
Dr Terry Lynn South, chair of the Obesity Management Group at the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, said gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea and vomiting were the most common side effects of Ozempic. Other patients also reported constipation and diarrhea.
South said that although Ozempic’s class of drugs has been around for quite some time, we are still learning about the long-term effects of Ozempic, which was first developed about 10 years ago.
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A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk, which develops Ozempic, said patient safety is a top priority for the company and that it is working closely with the FDA and TGA to “continuously monitor the safety profile of our drug.” ” he said.
The company said ileus was a gastrointestinal reaction reported post-marketing and that the Australian product information for Ozempic included information about gastrointestinal effects.
“Novo Nordisk stands behind the safety and effectiveness of Ozempic and all of our medicines when used in accordance with the product label and approved indication,” he said.
“For Ozempic, the most commonly reported side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and constipation.”
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