HOUSTON – Accessing semaglutide injections is challenging for thousands of people living with diabetes.
The demand for the drug is high as people around the world turn to it for weight loss.
John Eiteman was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 16 years ago, and for the past 2.5 years, he’s used Ozempic to manage the disease.
“I depend on it every week. Every week. Even though it’s only one milligram and it’s a little poke, it’s a pop. Six seconds is all it takes to inject myself,” Eiteman said.
For a month during the holidays, Eiteman was not able to access the semaglutide injection because of the nationwide shortage of the GLP1 medication.
Eiteman blames the increased demand for people taking semaglutides to lose weight.
“They’re (pharmacists) trying anything and everything they can, but it’s like I’ve told my pharmacist that, you know, if y’all can’t get it, I’m going to have to, you know, go elsewhere to get it.”
As for Eiteman’s doctor who monitors his diabetes and prescribes him Ozempic, Eiteman says he is also frustrated.
Instead of prescribing Eiteman another medication, his doctor increased the dosage from one milligram to two milligrams, which allowed him access to the drug.
Other patients say they have successfully accessed their GLP1 medications by transferring their prescriptions to other pharmacies and trying other brands of the drug.
Semaglutide injections remain on the FDA’s drug shortages list.
Abroad, National Health Services England issued a patient safety alert at the beginning of January, stating GLP1s continue to be limited, with supply not expected to return to normal until at least the end of 2024.