For over six months, starting in 2022, there was a nationwide shortage of Ozempic, a medication prescribed to control high blood sugar.
Prescriptions in the US reached an all-time high in the last week of February 2023, with over 373,000 prescriptions filled. That’s an increase of 111 percent compared with the same week in 2022. Of these, more than half were new prescriptions.
So what’s behind the high demand and low supply?
While supply chain issues are partly to blame for the shortages, the sudden high demand for these drugs has also been fueled by celebrities and social media buzz claiming the drug’s effectiveness for weight loss— – instead of its primary use as a diabetes medication.
Variety reported that Ozempic was the “worst kept secret in Hollywood" for weight loss. When asked how he looked “fit, ripped, and healthy,” Elon Musk tweeted that he was taking Wegovy, a similar medication to Ozempic. “My anti-aging doctor just hands it out to anybody,” Chelsea Handler said in a recent interview, claiming that she initially didn’t even realize she was on it. And on TikTok, the hashtag #Ozempic has been viewed hundreds of millions of times.
We spoke to Professor Itir Karaesmen Aydin about how social media and supply chains intersect.
First, why does a drug shortage matter? Professor Karaesmen Aydin explains that a shortage of drugs for common chronic illnesses such as diabetes can have dire consequences for patients. When a product is known to be in short supply, pharmacists and doctors can determine the closest substitute product to meet the needs of their patients. “High demand for one particular brand can have a snowball effect in case of shortages,” she said.