By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Ozempic, a medication to treat Type 2 diabetes, has taken over the social media world as influencers from all over are promoting the drug to lose weight quickly for cosmetic reasons, which has minimized the severity of obesity and the health complications that it can lead to.
According to Novo Nordisk, the company that produces Ozempic, Ozempic is not approved for chronic weight management and instead is an FDA-approved drug for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. The drug, when used in combination with a healthy diet and exercise, is designed to improve blood sugar and reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death in adults with Type 2 diabetes and known heart disease.
For people without health insurance, Ozempic can be a very costly drug. Ozempic has a list price of $968.52 a month, however, most people don’t pay that much if they have health insurance. According to Novo Nordisk, about 90% of Ozempic patients with health insurance in the U.S. pay zero to $50 a month.
Social media platforms, like TikTok, are full of posts about high-profile celebrities sharing stories and talking about their experiences with Ozempic. Unfortunately, the influence of these high-profile celebrities has caused healthy women to seek out the drug in an effort to fit into an “image” that celebrities are claiming Ozempic has helped them achieve.
“That is not what [Ozempic] is for. It is there to treat Type 2 diabetes or people who are either overweight or obese,” says Johann Hari, journalist and author of “MAGIC PILL: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs.” “I understand why people use it to be thinner who are not overweight or obese because that is the culture we have created, but I would warn them that they are taking on all of the possible long-term risks [with the prolonged use of the drug] without any of the benefits.”
Novo Nordisk does not currently work with any social media influencers to promote the product or share their experiences while using the drug through their personal media channels and believes much of the content produced by these influencers can be very misleading. Despite the misleading content circulating through social media today, Novo Nordisk says that they are “taking multiple steps to ensure responsible use of our semaglutide medicines,” including the use of their own social media platforms for responsible and compliant communications about their medicines.
“We agree that there has been a lot of misleading content from third parties that are promoting prescription drugs on social media, much of it from medical spas, medical clinics, telehealth companies, and social media influencers,” says a spokesperson for Novo Nordisk responding to inquiries from The Seattle Medium. “As it relates to social media influencers, we are aware they post content on their personal channels, but these individuals are not posting on Novo Nordisk’s behalf.”
Hari says that it is important for people to make informed medical decisions about prescription drugs, especially those medications, like Ozempic, that gain popularity through social media influencers. Taking these drugs, even if taken for the right medical reasons, comes with its own set of side effects and risks, which need to be taken into consideration by consumers with guidance from a qualified medical provider.
“There are people who are overweight or obese and are taking the drug in order to get down to a healthy weight, which still has its risks, but I think that it is hugely defensible,” says Hari. “And then there are people who are already skinny who are taking Ozempic to be super skinny. Now I do not judge anyone, particularly women in that position, because women are made to feel poorly about their bodies no matter what they do, but I would urge those people not to do it because many may not know that if you are taking these drugs to become super skinny, it can cause you to have a catastrophic loss of muscle mass.”
Hari, who has a family history of heart problems and has struggled with his weight throughout his lifetime, began using Ozempic in 2023 and claims it has been a game-changer for his health, as it caused him to lose a significant amount of weight. Since that time, he has been able to provide information and real-life experiences as an Ozempic user to people who seek guidance when considering taking a medication that may help them address chronic health issues.
“I will never forget the second day I was taking Ozempic,” says Hari. “I went to a diner up the street that I used to go to every morning and order a huge chicken sandwich with loads of mayo. I would usually eat that and still want some potato chips after. I had three mouthfuls and I was already full, which was really weird, but that is just how I felt from then on. I went from eating about 3,200 calories a day to about 1,800 calories, so it was a really dramatic effect and I lost 42 pounds in a year.”
Based on his own research and the increased cosmetic use of drugs that help people with weight loss, Hari, who interviewed over 100 leading experts in the field and people who use Ozempic, believes that nearly one-quarter of the U.S. population will be taking weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy in the next few years.
In an effort to keep up with the growing demand for their product, Novo Nordisk plans to expand its production of Ozempic to ensure that those who need it the most can have access to the drug.
“Our production already runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but we will continue to build and invest in new manufacturing capacity,” says a spokesperson from Novo Nordisk. “This year, we have significantly stepped up our investments in production. We plan to invest approximately $6.5 billion in production, compared to investments of approximately $3.6 billion last year.”
While the possible increase in production of Ozempic is good news for many people with Type 2 diabetes, concerns remain about the impact the drug can have on people who misuse it.
Hari claims that the drug, in his opinion, can be like rocket fuel for people with eating disorders. According to Hari, there are a lot of young girls who are starving themselves because they want to be thinner, and drugs like Ozempic make it possible for them to suppress their appetite, which, in some cases, can be unsafe for them.
“At the moment, pretty much anyone can go on Zoom and get these drugs, and that is not a good model,” says Hari. “Doctors on Zoom cannot check your weight or check whether you have an eating disorder or not. You should only be able to get these drugs at in-person appointments with an eating disorder specialist, who will not give you the drug if you are not overweight or obese.”
While Novo Nordisk ultimately does not have control over who their drugs are prescribed to by medical professionals, they hope that their drugs are being distributed in a way that benefits those patients who are suffering from chronic diseases and need them the most.
“While we respect every healthcare professional’s clinical expertise and their right to prescribe treatment based on their own medical judgment, we ask that healthcare professionals prescribe our medicines consistent with their FDA-approved indications,” says Novo Nordisk in a statement to The Seattle Medium.