EU drug chiefs hit out at 'excessive cosmetic use' of jabs like Ozempic that's causing shortages with 'serious consequences for public health'

EU drug chiefs hit out at 'excessive cosmetic use' of jabs like Ozempic that's causing shortages with 'serious consequences for public health' READ MORE: Global alert issued over dangerous fake Ozempic jabs found in UK By Emily Stearn, Health Reporter For Mailonline Published: 08:30 EDT, 27 June 2024 | Updated: 08:55 EDT, 27 June 2024 e-mail 1 View comments 'Excessive' use of slimming jabs for cosmetic reasons has had 'serious consequences' on public health, European health chiefs warned today. The jabs, which are administered weekly, are expressly designed to help type 2 diabetes patients control their blood sugar levels or for obese people to lose weight for health purposes. Drugs containing semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide —which are sold under the brand names Ozempic/Wegovy, Mounjaro and Saxenda — have been hailed as gamechangers in the fight against obesity, which costs billions in healthcare costs.

But European Medicines Agency (EMA) bosses have said their use among non-obese people who 'do not have weight related health problems' has 'raised concerns'. They say this has exacerbated existing shortages of the drugs meaning patients who need them the most can't access them, with 'serious consequences for public health'. Your browser does not support iframes.

Wegovy and Ozempic work by triggering the body to produce a hormone called GLP-1 that is released naturally from the intestines after meals Ozempic is available on the NHS as a treatment for managing blood.