A ‘miracle cure’ for obesity can no longer be exported from the UK as the government seeks to bolster supplies amid global shortages.
Semaglutide – a shot sold under the brand names Ozempic or Wegovy – suppresses appetite and helps people lose almost a fifth of their weight. It was considered a major breakthrough when it was launched last year.
Rumor has it that Hollywood actresses use the injections to stay as thin as possible. Even Elon Musk credited the drug with his recent weight loss.
And rumors are circulating on social media that Kim Kardashian has lost over a stone in just three weeks with the drug.
Experts say the drug’s phenomenal success has sparked a rush on TikTok – with stocks now feeding drugs around the world.
Ministers have now added semaglutide to the export ban list. All stocks of these medicines are needed to meet UK demand and therefore cannot be sent to other countries.
The same happened during the HRT crisis, when there was a shortage of drugs to break menopause, and in the early days of the pandemic when stocks of critical care drugs were held in the UK.
In May, reality TV star Kim Kardashian (left) told Vogue magazine that she lost 16 pounds in three weeks so she was thin enough to fit into a dress that once belonged to Marilyn Monroe. Rumors began to circulate that she was taking semaglutide. When asked if eating healthier or going to the gym was the cause of his 30-pound weight loss, Elon Musk (right) cited “fasting” and “Wegovy.”
Semaglutide – a syringe sold under the brand names Ozempic or Wegovy (pictured) – suppresses appetite and helps people lose a fifth of their weight. It was considered a major breakthrough when it was launched last year
Novo Nordisk UK, the maker of the drug, said it had been hit by ‘unprecedented demand’.
The measure taken by the Ministry of Health is a ban on the so-called parallel export of medicines. This means wholesalers are not allowed to buy UK shares to sell abroad.
NHS spending watchdog NICE approved the once-weekly vaccination for overweight patients via an EpiPen-like device earlier this year.
This comes from a study that found overweight people taking the drug lost 15 percent of their body weight in addition to eating less and exercising more. In comparison, the group that only led a healthier lifestyle lost just 2 percent of their body weight.
Wegovy, which will be available in late 2022 or early 2023, will be offered to people with morbid obesity who have at least one weight-related condition.
Those who are overweight can also access the drug if they are referred by their doctor.
While semaglutide is only approved for use in obese people with health conditions, specialists can legally offer it to anyone they think might benefit – known as “off-label” use. This allowed doctors to prescribe semaglutide to high-risk patients as a preventive measure, rather than waiting for them to develop disease.
Semaglutide works by mimicking glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone released after eating.
This signals the body to release insulin, which helps move digested sugar from the blood into cells where it can be used for energy.
This leads to a feeling of satiety.
Patients using the drug report being disgusted with their own favorite foods – including coffee, chocolate and fried chicken.
Other so-called GLP-1 agonists are available, including dulaglutide and liraglutide.
Pharmacists say that these are now also affected by bottlenecks. However, they are not subject to the government’s export ban.
Leyla Hannbeck, of the Association of Independent Compounding Pharmacists, told The Mail on Sunday: “There has been a problem getting all GLP-1 agonists, particularly semaglutide, for a number of months.
“It’s similar to HRT: people post about the benefits on social media and suddenly everyone wants to take it.”
The question was reportedly fueled in part by Kim Kardashian’s weight loss in May 2022, when she lost 7.3kg to fit into Marilyn Monroe’s old dress.
Kim has never responded to rumors of her using the drug that have been rife on social media.
In a TikTok clip that has been viewed more than 1 million times, an evangelical patient speculates: “I think Kim’s drastic weight loss could be because of something like this [semaglutide]… I might be wrong.
‘It [medicines] are tools for people to completely transform their bodies metabolically.’
The American entertainment magazine Variety wrote in September of this year: “Celebrity styling teams have begun to accept injections as part of grooming rituals.
“It became the worst kept secret in Hollywood.”
When asked if eating healthier or going to the gym was the cause of his 30-pound weight loss, Elon Musk cited “fasting” and “wegovy.”
Despite increasing popularity in celebrity circles, studies have shown that the drug causes side effects, including mild or moderate nausea and diarrhea, as well as constipation and stomach pain.
However, researchers say these are short-lived and resolve on their own.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
