What is Ozempic and why is B.C. cracking down on sales of the drug to Americans?
CBC
Thousands of people in the United States have been getting their Ozempic this year from pharmacies in British Columbia, prompting the province to announce a restriction on sales to avoid a local shortage of the diabetes medication.
At a news conference Tuesday, Health Minister Adrian Dix detailed the results of an internal ministry investigation into the cross-border issue, saying that nearly one in five Ozempic prescriptions in B.C. went to American residents in the first two months of the year.
The vast majority of those prescriptions were issued in Nova Scotia and fulfilled by two Metro Vancouver pharmacies, the investigation found.
Here's how buyers from the U.S. are turning to pharmacies north of the border — and why.
Ozempic is the brand name of an injectable drug prescribed mainly to treat Type 2 diabetes.
Bernie Garrett, a professor in the school of nursing at the University of British Columbia (UBC), said it's also effective for weight loss — albeit with significant risks attached, including thyroid cancer as a possible side-effect.
B.C. Diabetes has also noted the potential for weight loss.
Buyers who might not have diabetes have been seeking out the medication because celebrities, advertisements and people on social media have hyped up its potential for weight loss.
The drug is not approved as a weight loss treatment in Canada, but Dix said demand from the U.S. is affecting supply across the country.
Patients in the U.S. are turning to Canadian pharmacies to buy the drugs for cheap. In B.C., one month of Ozempic costs around $300 — a third of some American prices.
Prescription drugs can cost less in Canada is because a federal agency sets the maximum price a company can charge for patented drugs. In the U.S., drug companies are allowed to decide.
WATCH | B.C. to restrict Ozempic sales under rising demand from U.S.:
Dozens of users on TikTok and Reddit trade information about accessing the medication in Canada. Some say they can't afford the drug in the U.S. without insurance, or that their insurance won't cover the drug without a diabetes diagnosis.
People who have received the drug from Canadian pharmacies say the medication is shipped in a matter of weeks, sealed in a package with ice packs.
