It is not the first time that unbacked medical advice has spread on TikTok. In recent news, Ozempic, a drug for type 2 diabetes, is now in short supply in Australia after TikTokers are claiming that it can help with weight loss.
TikTokers Promote Ozempic for Weight Loss Use
According to the story by News.com.au, the trend is being promoted on TikTok and involves the use of the off-label drug. While the drug is meant to be medicine for people with type 2 diabetes, people on TikTok are now using the drug as an off-label "miracle weight-loss solution."
The supply of Ozempic has started to experience a nationwide shortage in Australia. This medicine is supposedly injected once a week and is only approved for people with type 2 diabetes as better detailed by Medical News Today.
#ozempicjourney Now Viral on TikTok
General practitioners and even other health professionals, however, were reportedly prescribing the medicine to thousands of people according to the article. The users of the type 2 diabetes medication shared videos on TikTok documenting their use of Ozempic with the hashtag #ozempicjourney.
One TikToker said that in just four months, Ozempic helped them lose 25kgs and that now, Australia is experiencing a national shortage of the drug. When asked how they got it, the TikToker said that they had no issue getting it from a doctor.
Statement Released Alerting the Public of Ozempic Shortage
The Therapeutic Goods Administration recently released a strong joint statement alerting the public that there is an Ozempic shortage. The statement included telling health professionals that Ozempic should only be prescribed and dispensed for the use it was initially approved for, which is the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
The statement urged health professionals to prioritize people with type 2 diabetes. The statement also included a warning saying Ozempic prescriptions might not be filled for those that do not have type 2 diabetes.
Manufacturers Acknowledge the Shortage of the Type 2 Diabetes Medication
Novo Nordisk, a Dutch pharmaceutical company that manufactures the medicine, says that the supply should be enough for individuals with type 2 diabetes but the recent growth in demand has resulted in a shortage as per News.com.au.
The shortage has made it risky for individuals with type 2 diabetes and as per the article, it is important that they will be able to "fill their script as early as possible." Due to the shortage of supply, those suffering from type 2 diabetes did not get their prescribed medications upon schedule.
There was no mention as to when the shortage of Ozempic will end and when those suffering from type 2 diabetes will have access to their medication once agains. Since the trend is still ongoing on TikTok, the demand has seen a significant increase from those wanting to slim down and not just those with type 2 diabetes.
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Written by Urian B.
