Ozempic and Wegovy considered ‘available’ after more than two years of shortages

Diabetes and weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy are now considered available after more than two years of being considered in short supply by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Although the drugs remain on the shortage list, the FDA no longer considers them “currently in short supply.” Both Ozempic and Vegovi are forms of semaglutide, a GLP-1 agonist drug made by Novo Nordisk.

When reached for comment, an FDA spokesperson told The Hill: “The FDA is currently working to determine whether demand or projected demand for semaglutide in the United States exceeds available supply.

“Although all doses of a drug may currently be listed as available, the criteria for removing a drug from the drug shortage list must still be met,” they added.

A Novo Nordisk spokesperson confirmed that two of their high-profile drugs are now “available.”

“This upgrade is the result of our significant investment in capacity and ongoing engagement with the FDA. Our focused approach to gradually increase supply to the US market is working,” the spokesperson said.

“It is important to note that even when a medication is available, patients may not always be able to fill their prescription immediately at a specific pharmacy,” a Novo Nordisk spokesperson added. “Patients may experience hesitation at a particular pharmacy, regardless of whether there is a shortage of the drug.”

The news comes less than a month after Mujaro and Zepbound, also GLP-1 agonists, were announced no longer be in short supply almost two years later.

The end of shortages of Mujaro and Zepbound, both forms of tirzepatide, sparked an industry-wide dispute by compounding pharmacies, which were able to sell off-brand copies of the GLP-1 drugs while they were in short supply. The FDA recently said it would reconsider its decision. withdrawal of tirzepatide list of shortcomings.

Companies like Hims & Hers and Noom sell pre-formulated semaglutide online, and Hims & Hers buys its own pharmacy to make it. When the tirzepatide shortage subsided, the FDA made it clear that the sale of mixed versions was prohibited.

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