(Credit: The Washington Post/Getty Images)
Local leaders are calling on Interior Health to address issues with access to Ozempic and a newly approved replacement drug to treat type 2 diabetes.
It comes as Health Canada recently approved Mounjaro as an alternative medication to help fight diabetes – amid a global shortage of Ozempic, which gained popularity for its weight loss claims.
Thompson Regional Hospital Board Director Ward Stamer says the issue is diabetics already prescribed Ozempic need to get a new prescription for the replacement medication from a doctor.
“Not only are they running short of the drug (Ozempic) but they are also finding difficulties getting another prescription because to use the replacement drug (Mounjaro), they have to get another prescription,” said Stamer.
“It isn’t something that can be seamlessly transferred by the pharmacist.”
However, Stamer says many people are left in a pinch because many people are without a family physician.
“Not only are we inconveniencing our residents by trying to find a doctor and get a prescription for something that they shouldn’t even have to in the first place, and making sure that those costs that are associated with that drug can be transferred over, similar to what Ozempic is,” added Stamer.
Director Jill Hayward – reiterating Stamer’s point on the Ozempic shortage – says she had to wait a week to purchase the medication for her husband from Costco.
“The deal was: ‘It’s here today to get, but tomorrow it goes back out to the market if you are not here.'”
“That’s how hard it is to get for people dealing with diabetes. It’s really serious because if they stopped their Ozempic, they have to start that program over again later,” explained Hayward.
“It is an amazing drug for people that are dealing with diabetes, kidney disease, and things like that, but it’s a crying shame that it is going to weight loss – unless the weight loss is a medical situation for that person.”
The Thompson Regional Hospital District Board is sending a letter to Interior Health to address the issues with access to Mounjaro.
Health Canada approved Mounjaro strictly for Diabetics, however, it’s not currently covered by PharmaCare.
