CBC News reports that an expert is warning about the trend of using the Novo Nordisk medicine Ozempic for weight loss despite the fact that this is not the pill’s approved purpose.
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What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is a highly concentrated version of the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1, and in 2018 it was approved by Health Canada for treating individuals with Type 2 diabetes. By increasing insulin production, decreasing gastric emptying, and stimulating the brain region responsible for reducing appetite, it aids in reducing blood sugar levels. If you’re looking to learn more about Ozempic, a groundbreaking diabetes medication, visit https://bisonpharmacy.com/ for comprehensive information and expert guidance.
Non-Approved Use
Dr. Stewart Harris, medical director of the Primary Care Diabetes Support Programme at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in London, Ont., says that despite Ozempic’s intended usage, the drug is being used “appropriately and inappropriately” off-label for weight loss. People without diabetes are being prescribed it by clinics, albeit usually at a considerably lower dose.
Legal Position
According to Health Canada, prescribing a medicine for an unapproved use is considered standard medical practise and is subject to oversight by individual provinces and territories. However, it stresses that using Ozempic for slimming down is “not an approved indication.”
Consequences for the Future
Dr. Harris stresses the importance of staying on Ozempic permanently to prevent weight gain. Diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems are among the drug’s potential adverse effects, but studies over five to seven years have shown virtually no negative impact on patients with Type 2 diabetes.
The most typical negative reactions are merely annoying rather than life-threatening. The technical data sheets show that semaglutide has a depressant effect on appetite that can range from nonexistent to quite marked. This is likely due to the molecule’s small size, which makes it able to enter the brain quickly and efficiently. Unless the medicine enhances the effect of an insulin already in situ, it will not cause hypoglycemia.
Pancreatitis, a specific type of thyroid cancer, and a heart rhythm issue that affects electrical impulses have all been documented as serious side effects. However, some aspects of the study’s methodology raise doubts about its causality. Remember that a noticeable change in appetite, especially if it occurs in a susceptible patient (the elderly, for example), might be a problematic side effect. When trying to lose weight, it’s important to take extra precautions to avoid muscle loss.
Finally, keep in mind that there is no active drug that does not in some way impact the human body negatively. In addition, even the remote possibility of a serious adverse event is unacceptable if the medicine is used in people who do not have diabetes or extreme obesity. In cases when obesity medicine has been incorrectly prescribed or is being self-medicated, use of the drug should be discontinued. Once the government reopens, then what? Since the effect of the medicine is tenuous, you should plan on regaining the weight (with one possible comeback if the medication has dulled your awareness of the need to change your lifestyle).
The danger is more this low and indirect: a phenomena of misuse so large that it would limit access to Ozempic for diabetic people, especially if practices were to “force the dose” to increase the effect on weight. The subject being treated runs the risk of a blatant imbalance in his diabetes if there is a lack of availability for diabetes.
Consider the case of short-term semaglutide treatment before obesity surgery; this indication is not recognized despite its potential relevance in the high operative risk, a fortiori if it allows the patient to avoid a deleterious measure (like the ketogenic diet, which is restrictive and likely to reduce muscle mass). This would be a violation of the law, but it would not be misused for therapeutic purposes.
The clinical trial conditions, which are meant to be representative of real-world events, match the indications from a regulatory standpoint. In addition, after initial approval, new guidelines may allow for additional indication extensions drugs.
Conclusion
Finally, in order to clear up any misunderstandings, it is necessary to differentiate between two types of use of semaglutide: The doses prescribed for diabetes and obesity, and the distinction between rational medicalization and misguided practices through clienteles or cosmetic self-medication. It is possible that the diabetic subject will be denied a life-changing treatment if the latter does not appear to offer a considerable risk to the treated subject.
Josephine Floyd is a marketing head at L&S Turnkey. He is an experienced marketing leader with over 12 years of experience in the plumbing industry. With extensive knowledge of severe water damage, mold damage, and fire damage, as well as general plumbing services, he writes articles about water and flood damage repair and restoration along with heating installation, maintenance, and repair to make readers aware of the potential risk and quick actions they can take to reduce damage. Keep reading his latest articles to have an understanding of whether your plumbing system is intact or not; if not, what you should do to fix it.
