On TikTok, the keyword #Ozempic peaks at more than 500 million views: this antidiabetic is all the rage on the social network for its slimming properties, a phenomenon that is causing supply tensions and worrying doctors.
“
I started
Ozempic
six weeks ago
,” says an American tiktoker in a video viewed nearly 100,000 times.
In leggings and a sports bra, the young woman, visibly much thinner than in her “
before
” photos, continues: “
I didn't do any exercise, I just injected myself with the product!
".
Ozempic, a miracle cure?
This injectable product is in fact indicated for "
the treatment of insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes
" in adults, specifies the Novo Nordisk laboratory, which has marketed it in France since 2019. Semaglutide, its active ingredient, acts by attaching to the receptors for a hormone that has a role in blood sugar control and stimulates the release of insulin when blood glucose levels are high.
Read alsoOn TikTok, the madness of Ozempic, an antidiabetic hijacked to lose weight
It also slows the emptying of the stomach, thereby reducing appetite and causing significant weight loss, around 10% in one year.
A property that has enabled the manufacturer to obtain the marketing of semaglutide in many countries, including the United States, at a higher dose and under another name, Wegovy, for the treatment of obesity.
Elon Musk, the wealthy and no less sulphurous boss of Tesla and SpaceX, argued on Twitter that taking Wegovy regularly explained his significant weight loss.
“Falsified prescriptions”
In France, Wegovy received a favorable opinion from the High Authority for Health (HAS) in the treatment of obesity at the end of December.
It is currently limited to very obese people with an associated disease.
Pending a decision from the authorities on its price and reimbursement, Wegovy is delivered in dribs and drabs, "
unlike Ozempic
which is available with a normal prescription
", notes Professor Jean-Luc Faillie, from the University of Montpellier. .
Result: "
pharmacists found prescriptions
" of Ozempic for non-diabetics as well as "
falsified prescriptions, used by several people
".
The National Medicines Agency (ANSM) reveals to our colleagues from France Info that 2,185 people used the treatment between October 2021 and September 2022 even though they did not suffer from any form of diabetes.
The authority therefore called doctors to order, asking them to strictly respect the indication of diabetes for the prescription.
However, the ANSM does not note any “
particular peak or sudden increase in consumption in recent months
”, but Ozempic has experienced “
supply tensions
” due to the increase in world demand.
Novo Nordisk admits that its "
current supply capacity does not always meet this excess demand
", lamenting "
intermittent availability and periodic stockouts
".
Read alsoLove, ego and cash: how much do influencer parents earn?
Jean-François Thébaut, of the Diabetic Federation, is worried about a possible "
rush
" of the French on Wegovy when it is on the national market, especially since semaglutide is "
extremely effective
" against diabetes.
Obesity specialist Karine Clément, of Inserm, insists on the need, when Wegovy will be available, to “
fit your prescription well
”.
“
It's not a
'
magic
' drug
.
As always in obesity, it must be accompanied by comprehensive care
”.
Side effects
Doctors are also worried about the side effects of semaglutide, "
under-notified
" according to Professor Faillie, in charge of its pharmacovigilance.
"
This is the problem + out of the nails +: neither patients nor prescribers are motivated to declare
" possible side effects.
In addition to nausea, "
there are also rarer but more serious risks such as acute pancreatitis, which can occur even at low doses, biliary disorders, rare cases of severe constipation which can lead to intestinal obstruction",
notes- he, also pointing to an "
increased risk of thyroid cancer
" after several years of treatment.
Read also“No kids”, “childfree”, eco-anxious, neo-feminists … When influencers no longer want to have children
Are we risking a new health scandal like that of the Mediator?
“
We have more perspective on this pharmacological class
,” reassures Professor Faillie.
However, if the risks of semaglutide are “
controlled
” in view of the benefits in diabetes, “
there are always uncertainties, especially in obese patients over the long term
”.
"
If it is used to lose a few pounds, then the therapeutic benefit is zero, it's just aesthetics while the risks are always present
," he warns.
