The lack of supply of the Ozempic medicine, stated mainly for diabetes patients, stress the ourensanas pharmacies.
The supply is irregular for months -the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) alerted in 2022 the first deficiencies in distribution -and professionals account for the difficulties in covering customer demand.In that sense, the College of Pharmacists of the Province speaks of "slight problems" in the supply of three of the drug presentations (0.25; 0.5 and 1 milligram).
Orensanas apothecates never know when they will have the medicine and ensure that the number of boxes previously requested is not covered in each order."We constantly have problems to receive it, we lately sell some units that entered in December, but we do not know when they will send it to us again, we never know it," they point out from the Pharmacy Mónica Muradás Gómez de O Carballiño.
Given the shortage situation, many clients are recorded in waiting lists.“We are waiting list, of course, what is there that asks us all days, because they perceive different pharmacies e non or atop in noneunha.We never know Cando or Imos Ter, ”they point out from one of the Xinzo de Limia pharmacies.
The doctors look for alternatives to Ozempic, although it is not always possible, since the drug is injectable."The options that are are oral, in fact there are endocrine that already guide other medications to know that there are problems in the supply," they explain from Carballiño.
The AEMPS blames punctual shortages from 2022 to the high demand throughout Spain of Analogous medications of the LPG-1 (such as Ozempic), since they are not only used to treat the disease of certain diabetic patients, but also for people with obesity.Within the presentations of this group of drugs, there is an indicated for weight control."There are many dietitians who recommend it to lower weight, and that is one of the reasons for lacking," says an ourensano apothecary.
On the other hand, its use as a thinning became viral on social networks, which helped increase its popularity, and on the Internet proliferate illegal sales pages of this family of medicines.To restore the supply, the AEMPS recommends that the use of these treatments in diabetic patients be prioritized.
The president of the Diabetica Auria Association, Paz Gómez, says that "always" there is a substitute for Ozempic to prescribe patients affected by the pathology: "There is always something that covers that hole, we must not be alarmed."In that sense, remember that the problems in the supply have been maintained for months, after the prescription to lose weight was increased.
“Production was focused on diabetic patients at the beginning, but endocrine began to prescribe it in people with obesity.We must raise awareness about the loss of kilos, because the rebound effects that you produce are either well known when you stop taking it.Miracles do not exist, ”says Gomez, who insists on the seriousness of diabetes."It is a very serious disease, and you have to keep it very present."
The president of the Association value the management of Galician doctors to overcome irregular supply: “In our community it is a very controlled medication, very adjusted to a profile that they marked, they do not even prescribe it to all people with diabetes”
On the other hand, he says that lately he has not received complaints from the more than 250 associated with Auria in relation to the supply of the Ozempic."It may be that at some point someone does not find it in pharmacies, but they have change with a similar drug and the situation is solved in a short time," he says.
