NHS doctors have been told not to newly prescribe Ozempic to diabetes patients due to its soaring demand to treat weight loss in private clinics, i can reveal.
Ozempic – a brand name for the drug semaglutide – was introduced in the UK four years ago to help type 2 diabetics manage their blood glucose levels.
The drug is only officially licensed for the treatment of diabetes, but private clinics have increasingly prescribed it “off-label” for weight-loss, sparking a major shortage.
On Tuesday, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) sent a Medicine Supply Notification (MSN), seen by i, to all prescribers in England.
