Why is there Wegovy shortage? Dear Readers, Listen up! We come back with another piece of sad information for overweight people who still rely on weight loss medication for weight loss and controlling their weight. There are so many drugs used to treat weight issues, in which Wegovy is one of the most popular drugs consumed, but it is high time to say goodbye to Wegovy.
Let’s review this blog post to know what is happening around us. We hope we can answer all your queries, such as Wegovy shortages, Why there is a Wegovy shortage in supply, other recommended alternatives to Wegovy, whether it is still available in the market or not, and many more!
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What is Wegovy and Why is it used?
Wegovy is a type of drug that can be taken by people who suffer overweight and whose weight is unconquerable. It is used with physical activity and diet to give the best results when keeping weight under control.
But this drug can be consumed only by adults who have:
- BMI ( Body Mass Index) is 30kg/mt—Sq. or more than that.
- Also, those who have at least 27 kg/ mt. Sq. or less than 30 kg/mt. Sq. of BMI.
- People with weight-related health problems include hypertension, breathing issues during sleep, abnormal levels of fats in the blood, diabetes, a history of heart attack, stroke, blood vessel issues, and many more.
- Wegovy is a drug that contains the active ingredients of semaglutide.
Highlights
- Product name: Wegovy
- Active substance/ ingredients: Semaglutide
- International Non-Proprietary Name or Common Name: Semaglutide
- Therapeutic Area: Overweight, Obesity
- Additional Monitoring: This medicine is under additional monitoring, which means it is monitored even more intensively than other medicines.
Wegovy Shortage 2023 Update
Yes! We’ve also noted that the most chosen and widely famous weight loss drug, Wegovy, is there, and it has become tough to find in the market.
The company which usually makes the Wegovy medication, Novo Nordisk, declared that we’d increased its production to meet customers’ demands. We are also aware that so many patients are still lined up.
Wegovy has an active substance that is Semaglutide, also known as Semaglutide; it contains a hormone that makes the patient feel full and cuts their unnecessary appetite, which helps reduce food intake. If we talk about its cost, it costs around 1,300 US dollars a month.
Those with Type 2 diabetes can be recommended to take the other alternative to Wegovy, i.e., Ozempic drug, which is also the same drug. Still, patients can take this medicine in a smaller amount than Wegovy. This can also help in the regulation of blood sugar levels. The same company, Novo Nordisk, also manufactures Ozempic drugs.
The company’s CEO stated, “Novo Nordisk is expecting “pent demand” for Wegovy to recede for the next few months.
He added, “We are aware of the trend and the demand for the particular product, as the patients desperately want Wegovy back on the store’s shelves as they have lined up for them. At the same time, we also find that there will be a normalization after the crisis.
We have also noted when there is a shortage of Wegovy, patients who were suffering weight-related health issues and consuming Wegovy have gained some or the same weight again during its shortage, and they have given up the medication.”
One of the spokespersons of the Danish company, Doug Langa, said, “The company is looking forward to providing the drug in a larger amount to meet their customer’s demand.”
Last year, Wegovy was short in supply temporarily nationwide, and the patients shifted their focus to other alternatives such as Ozempic and many more. Celebrities and billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk also treated with Wegovy.
But now, Wegovy is in a massive shortage, so the Ozempic elevated its cost, lack of insurance coverage and availability.
Who Owns Wegovy?
Wegovy, the anti-obesity drug, is FDA-approved and owned by Novo Nordisk; it supplies the drug in a disposable single-use pen available by prescription only.
Novo Nordisk also manufactures other drugs such as Ozempic drugs and many more.
Recommended Alternatives To Wegovy
We want to recommend some of the other options that can help you can opt for! Firstly, we’re sharing some natural alternatives to Wegovy for weight loss. Ask your personal expert or doctor before trying it.
- Phen24
- PhenQ
- Zotrim
These are the three top natural alternatives that offer benefits over Wegovy regarding weight management. These drugs are preferable as it contains all the natural ingredients that are more beneficial than traditional prescriptions. In these supplements, the ingredients are all chemical-free and natural; if they contain chemicals, they have very few side effects.
Other similar options to Wegovy include:
- Ozempic
- Rybelsus
- Trulicity
- Victoza
- Saxenda
- Byetta
- Bydureon BCise
- Mounjaro
Some still doubt having this drug and ask, Is Wegovy a lifetime drug?
So, the answer to this question is Yes! Wegovy is to be considered a lifelong medication along with Ozempic, according to the Experts.
When there is an interview, a company Novo Nordisk told NBC News, “Data from our clinical trials for Wegovy showed that, not unexpectedly, patients experience weight regain once they stop taking the medication.”
Wegovy Shortage Ends
Wegovy is an anti-obesity medicine that is widely popular. We know it gained a lot of interest after its launch, and people demanded it return. So, for those, it may be a relief that they are back in stock after a long-term shortage a few months back. You can easily find all the dose strengths of Wegovy in retail pharmacies.
If you want to order them online, you can opt for them. However, there may still be some issues, such as delivery issues while ordering, because the retailers order Wegovy from their local distribution centers.
When the company announced its come-back news, it also mentioned on its website on 28 December 2022, “currently unavailable” or “currently in shortage.”
Still, the company wrote on its website, “For now, the US Food and Drug Administration still lists the medication as “currently in shortage” because of its severe recent shortage.
They added, “We are trying our best to deliver the best ever product and continuously manufacturing and shipping the products to meet the patients’ requirements. But in some areas of the country, patients are facing unnecessary delay with several doses such as 2 mg.”
Also, In 2022, the company noted that the drug broke all the sales records and maintained its new highest record, 59.75 billion Danish crowns, i.e., 8.56 billion. This record forced the company to constrain the supply this year.
When there was a massive shortage of Wegovy, Ozempic demand was on trend at that time. It was also partly driven by prescriptions to non-diabetic patients looking to manage their weight outside the drug’s approved indication.
Is Wegovy Still Available In The Market?
We are excited to announce that the company Novo Nordisk is still manufacturing Wegovy drugs, which are still available in the market. If you are the one who was looking for it, then you can buy it from your nearest retail pharmacies as they are now available across the country.
You may face a delay in its supply and some other problems, but it will be available to you.
The company also mentioned, “Novo Nordisk is grateful to all of its customers and appreciates their interest and the patience that they have shown in the recent time during Wegovy’s shortage as we also worked through supply challenges. And now, the supply of Wegovy in a sufficient amount is our top priority. In 2023, we are increasing our production capacity to ensure its supply that may meet all their demands; to do so, we are closely monitoring prescribing trends and assessing demand.”
Where To Buy Wegovy?
You can buy Wegovy online from various websites such as Amazon pharmacies, NovoCare, and many more, or you can also buy them from your nearest retail pharmacies. If you are looking forward to discussing with your healthcare provider about
Wegovy, a prescription-only medicine, recommends visiting Wegovy.com until the company is working on filling the supply chain.
The Bottom Line
Wegovy was short in supply recently, but the company has declared they are back on the store’s shelves. During its shortage, patients have regained some of their weight, whereas some gained the same amount again. To manage their weight during the shortage of Wegovy, patients focussed on other alternatives, and Ozempic was one of the most picked drugs at that time.
As we all know that there are several other GLP-1 agonist (Glucagon-like peptide 1) GLP-1 agonists are those that activate insulin level, helps in the blockage of sugar production in the liver, and makes the patients feeling all time full, which decreases the appetite, this way GLP-1 helps in the weight management.
We’ve already mentioned above in this blog post. They all are used to treat Type 2 diabetes, weight management, and many other weight-related health issues.
Its dose frequency, prescription, potential benefits, and everything vary from various drugs.
If you are looking for a Healthcare provider, then you can visit its official website, i.e., Wegovy.com; it may help you to choose and determine the best GLP-1 agonist for you.
We hope this blog may help you answer all your questions about Wegovy supply.
References:
- https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/comment/novo-nordisks-wegovy-supply-challenges/
- https://www.novonordisk-us.com/products/product-supply-update.html
- https://www.today.com/health/diet-fitness/wegovy-weight-loss-shortage-ends-rcna64220
- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11706885/Maker-fat-loss-drug-Wegovy-says-ramping-supply-shortages-fixed-weeks.html