If there is one thing you can count on, it’s that human beings will always jump on a weight loss bandwagon. Remember Fen Phen? Atkins? Olestra? Trends come and go but evidently our collective desire for svelte, taut bodies is constant—which is why 2022 may well be remembered as the year of Ozempic. Right now, no social gathering or midnight TikTok scroll is complete without at least one mention of the ubiquitous, and controversial, drug. Ozempic’s sudden popularity—driven, in part, by the celebrities who have touted it—have made it the Botox of weight loss.
“There is a big influx of patients coming asking for it by name,” says Jamie Gabel, PA-C, of Advitam at the Shafer Clinic in New York City. “They know what it’s called, they know what it does, and they’re asking for it specifically before anything else.” That, he observes, is a new phenomenon that’s only started in the last few months.
A quick refresher: Ozempic is the brand name (like Tylenol) for a GLP1 agonist peptide called semaglutide, which helps the pancreas produce insulin. It was originally developed, and FDA-approved in 2017, for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, but a side effect of the drug is appetite suppression and weight loss, which is why it’s now being used by non-diabetics as the silhouette-reducing aid du jour, despite possible serious side effects like nausea and other gastrointestinal issues.
Off-label uses for drugs are nothing new, but here’s the rub: the increased demand for Ozempic has left both local pharmacies and Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer, clamoring to keep up. Which means that diabetics who need the drug to treat their disease are having a harder time getting it—and those that can may find the price tag to be way higher, especially if they’re not going through insurance. Market watchers theorize that the run on Ozempic actually began when supplies of Wegovy—a semaglutide preparation that is specifically prescribed for weight loss—began to run low, prompting many to shift to off-label use of Ozempic instead. Add a Tiktok hashtag or two, and you have a viral sensation situation in which supply simply cannot keep up with demand.
Thankfully, there are effective alternative medications for those who have been using Ozempic for diabetes treatment. And for those who want to give it a shot to help shed a few extra pounds? The best answer is to wait. Both Novo Nordisk and pharmacies “are working on it,” says Gabel. Wegovy is set for a robust relaunch in 2023, supplies of Ozempic are expected to stabilize by March, and competitors waiting in the wings with similar drugs are slated to hit the market within the next few months. The year of Ozempic? It may well turn out to be an era.
Garrett Munce writes about men’s style and grooming. He’s written for Esquire, New York Magazine, Spotlyte, and Very Good Light and held staff positions at GQ and W. Follow his skincare obsession on Instagram at @garrettmunce.