Ozempic is not for Hollywood stars alone as demand for the drug is spreading like wildfire due to its weight-loss reputation. Greece is no exception, with demand skyrocketing since last year, especially in the run-up to summer.
Normally, the drug is only given to diabetics, with a doctor’s prescription, but it has become increasingly popular without a prescription among people who simply want to lose weight even if they do not have any health problems.
Kathimerini understands that the Danish pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, that produces the drug has doubled its imports to Greece since last year. However, the supply is not enough to meet demand, as many foreigners buy Ozempic in bulk, since its price in Greece is lower, with buyers from Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, Turkey, US, France and Italy.
“In Greece, you can walk into a pharmacy and pay for it out of your pocket, with or without a prescription. Most pharmacies have it, because the current laws on prescription drugs are not fully implemented,” says Chrysanthi Sardeli, associate professor of medicine at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
While it is not yet known if it has any long-term side effects, the use of the drug appears to be becoming widespread as a “lifestyle” aid.
Wegovy, another drug by the same company which is not yet on sale in Greece, is used exclusively for the management of obesity, she says, while the injectable drug Ozempic has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as an anti-diabetic drug since 2017.
“It regulates the secretion of insulin from the pancreas, resulting in better control of diabetes,” she explains.
But at the same time, it reduces appetite and increases the feeling of fullness in the stomach, so people who take it eat less and desire less fatty foods.
“Ozempic may have started as an anti-diabetic drug, but it seems that it will take on other indications as well, not just for obesity,” says the head of the Endocrinology Unit at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Giorgos Chrousos.
“We have nothing else for obesity – if someone is overweight and has self-discipline, they can lose weight on their own, but if they are morbidly obese, the weight won’t come off no matter how much they want to; either they have to take the drug or they will have surgery,” he says.
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
