Heading north for diabetes drugs

Canadians have long headed to the US to shop, but the trend is reversing as Americans flock north to get their hands on a diabetes drug that’s gone viral for its weight loss effects.

Driving the news: Drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy gained popularity as a “miracle fix” for weight loss, resulting in a US-wide shortage that’s left Americans tapping into Canada’s supply. BC’s Health Minister said Americans were filling 22 times as many doses of Ozempic in the province as they do for other drugs.

  • Drugmaker Novo Nordisk said the unprecedented demand for WeGovy, the formula approved for weight loss, led it to pause its marketing efforts and rethink its strategy.

Why it matters: As you can probably guess, most people taking these drugs don’t actually have Type 2 diabetes. If the demand for Ozempic persists, it could drive shortages for those who need it most. It also creates financial strain for anyone paying out of pocket (a package of WeGovy is US$1,349) since patients need to keep taking it to keep the weight off.

  • In Canada, up to 74% of non-public drug plan claims for Ozempic in some provinces were also likely from people without Type 2 diabetes, per The Globe and Mail.
     
  • In BC, the government has implemented barriers for patients to control the supply of Ozempic, like requiring they first try to control blood sugar levels with another drug.

Zoom out: It’s no surprise the demand for weigh-shedding drugs is high. Two out of every three adults in Canada are overweight or obese, largely caused by changes in society, work, and leisure that have affected activity and eating patterns. In the US, that number is higher.