New advice for doctors due to worldwide Ozempic shortage
There is a worldwide shortage of Ozempic, prompting new advice to doctors from the TGA’s Medicine Shortage Action Group.
Doctors have been advised to not initiate new patients on Ozempic unless there are no suitable alternatives or there is a compelling reason to do so, due to a worldwide shortage of the drug.
Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company that supplies Ozempic, recently advised the TGA that the supply of the drug, mainly used to manage type 2 diabetes, will be limited for the rest of 2023 and throughout 2024.
The advice of the Medicine Shortage Action Group (MSAG), of which the AMA is a member, is to not initiate new patients on Ozempic if there are suitable alternatives.
For patients already prescribed Ozempic, doctors are advised to consider whether they can be changed to an alternative drug as continuous supply cannot be guaranteed.
The AMA will continue working with the TGA as part of the MSAG to minimise the impact of shortages on patients and doctors.
