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Semaglutide availability: what's causing the Wegovy supply issues?

Simon Edward • 26 November 2024

Wegovy supply issues began in 2022. But what caused them? And is it available now? Let's explore the facts.

If you take Wegovy for weight loss or are considering it, you may have heard about recent supply shortages. This meant that some people couldn't easily access the drug.

But what's the current situation? Is Wegovy available now? And what caused the shortages in the first place?

Let's find out.

All doses of Wegovy are currently available from SemaPen. Learn more about our expert-guided Wegovy treatment programme.

When did the semaglutide supply issues start?

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in several medications. These include:

Ozempic: an injectable diabetes medication

Wegovy: an injectable weight loss medication

Rybelsus: a diabetes medication that's taken as a tablet

All these medications are manufactured by the same company, Novo Nordisk.

Beginning in 2022, semaglutide was placed on a shortage list by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As a result of this shortage, drugs containing semaglutide have been only intermittently available for the last two years.

The FDA is a US federal agency. However, semaglutide supply issues have affected patients in other countries too. Here in the UK, for instance, the NHS began rationing supplies of drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic in 2023.¹

What caused the semaglutide supply issues?

The simple answer is that demand outstripped supply. More and more people were trying to access drugs containing semaglutide – and Novo Nordisk couldn't manufacture them quickly enough to keep up.²

This situation arose for several reasons.

One of the most obvious is that the drugs became very popular, very quickly. Thanks to news coverage, social media trends and endorsements from celebrities like Sharon Osbourne and Amy Schumer, public awareness of semaglutide and its benefits skyrocketed.

The shortage was also partly caused by 'off-label' prescriptions for Ozempic as a weight loss treatment. Ozempic is only supposed to be used to treat type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy is approved for weight loss. However, in response to the surging demand for semaglutide, some doctors began prescribing Ozempic to help patients lose weight.

A doctor is sitting at a desk talking to a patient.

This 'off-label' usage isn't ideal. Despite having the same active ingredient, Ozempic and Wegovy are not the same drug – as Novo Nordisk explains on its website²:

'[Wegovy and Ozempic] are different products with different indications, dosages, prescribing information, and titration schedules, as approved by the FDA. Each medication has a unique safety and efficacy profile, which is detailed in its respective product label. The products are not interchangeable.'

What problems did the shortages cause?

Quite simply, it made it difficult for patients to access the drugs they needed.

The intermittent supply meant that patients were never quite sure what would be available at any one time. Sometimes, a particular dose of semaglutide was available while another wasn't. This made it hard for patients to keep to the recommended dosing schedule.

Occasionally, patients would have to visit several pharmacies until they found one with the right dose in stock.

'Off-label' prescriptions caused even more problems. As doctors began prescribing Ozempic for weight loss, it meant that people with diabetes who relied on the drug could no longer reliably access it.

What's the story with the fake Wegovy injections?

Of course, where there's an unmet demand, there are unethical profiteers waiting in the wings to take advantage of it. Almost as soon as the Wegovy supply issues started, unapproved versions of the drug began to flood the market.

These unapproved versions come in three distinct flavours³:

Counterfeit Wegovy, which may contain harmful ingredients or too much or too little of the active ingredient.

Compounded Wegovy, which is manufactured by third parties without involvement from Novo Nordisk. Compounded medications are not covered by the same regulations as approved medications.

Versions of the drug marked 'for research purposes' or 'not for human consumption'. These are, according to the FDA, 'of unknown quality and may be harmful to [patients'] health'.

A box of fake drugs on a white background.

The problem became so pervasive that, in June 2024, Novo Nordisk issued a warning for patients and health providers in the UK.⁴

'[We are] aware that some counterfeit Ozempic […] products are being sold in the UK', it said. 'This is a critical issue that we are investigating together with the health authorities.'

Counterfeit medications can be dangerous. If you're considering treatment with Wegovy or a similar drug, it's crucial that you get a prescription and use a legitimate healthcare provider like SemaPen.

When will semaglutide be available?

Are the Wegovy supply issues over now? Can you access semaglutide in the UK?

The answer isn't quite as simple as 'yes' or 'no'.

In October 2024, Wegovy was marked as 'available' by the FDA.⁵ This means that, while the drug is still on the agency's shortage list, it's no longer considered 'currently in shortage'.

According to Novo Nordisk, this is because it's now capable of manufacturing Wegovy much more quickly. As it says on its website, 'This update is a result of our significant investment in capacity and ongoing communication with the [FDA].'

However, while this is good news for patients, it may take a little longer for supplies to reach steady levels around the world.

NHS England, for instance, has warned that it will continue to suffer shortages until at least the end of 2024.¹

Not all health providers have struggled to supply Wegovy, however. Here at SemaPen, we've made sure to keep all doses of Wegovy in stock in the UK – even as many others faced supply issues.

Our weight loss programmes are designed by real UK obesity experts and include ongoing, tailored support at no extra cost. If you're interested, why not explore our Wegovy programme and get to know how it works?

Alternatively, you could take our online consultation and find out instantly if you're eligible for treatment.

Sources

1. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12933827/NHS-Ozempic-Wegovy-semaglutide-shortage.html

2. https://www.novonordisk-us.com/supply-update.html

3. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/fdas-concerns-unapproved-glp-1-drugs-used-weight-loss

4. https://www.novonordisk.co.uk/about/counterfeit-product-warning.html

5. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/weight-loss-drug-shortage-ozempic-b2638982.html

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