Ozempic has been catapulted into the public eye in recent months as celebrities and wellness influencers started taking it for weight loss. But Ozempic is a diabetes drug — and the craze has led to a shortage, leaving those who need it for Type 2 diabetes at a loss.
Generically known as semaglutide, it was approved to treat diabetes by the Food and Drug Administration in 2017. But during clinical trials, researchers noticed a side effect: The drug led to weight loss by slowing down stomach emptying and mimicking hormones naturally produced by the intestines that signal satiety.
That led manufacturer Novo Nordisk to rebrand semaglutide as Wegovy — basically Ozempic at a higher dose, but intended strictly for weight loss. Wegovy was approved by the FDA in 2021.
