Off-Label Use of Ozempic Leads to Wordwide Shortage

An increasing number of countries are now outlawing the drug for weight loss and are also banning exports.

Boxes of Ozempic rest on a pharmacy counter in Los Angeles, California, on April 17, 2023. Mario Tama/Getty Images

The popularity of Ozempic’s off-label use for weight loss is driving a worldwide shortage of the diabetes drug that is likely to last through spring of 2024.

Around the world, pharmacies have reported shortages, including U.S., Canada and Europe. Some countries are taking drastic measures to protect patients with diabetes whose health depends on the drug by banning the use of Ozempic for weight loss.