An Ozempic epidemic?
In the last year, a new medication has been taking the public by storm, however what is this miracle drug, and how could it prove and issue?
Ozempic is their brand name for semaflutide, it is intended as a treatment for type 2 diabetes - helping people manage their fluctuating blood sugar levels, and is intended to be taken in tandem with insulin once a week.
Ozempic functions by increasing incretins, hormones which are naturally produced by the stomach. This hormone helps the body increase insulin concentration and helps the liver store more glucose lowering blood sugar levels.
Alternate Ozempic Use
Ozempic reduces appetite and slows digestion making it an extremely effective weight loss drug. Users can lose up to 10-15% of their body weight. It does have its benefits lowering the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.
Results remarkably only need two months to begin to show and thus, Ozempic is being treated as a sort of "miracle drug" - easy weight loss without the arduous burden of consistent exercise which holds so many back.
What's the issue then?
If a drug can lead to both weight loss and health benefits then surely it presents very little in the way of an ethical dilemma, however whether the use of Ozempic for weight loss is far more complex.
Of course as with any drug there are risks of adverse side effects: Nausea, fatigue and in rare cases thyroid issue are known to arise.
However the real ethical dilemma occurs due to the very nature of Ozempic, the drug is used and endorsed by celebrities for its weight loss properties. This reinforces unrealistic body standards upon primarily the youth, leading to many leading unhealthy lifestyles to achieve such a physique potentially promoting anorexia and body dysmorphia upon vulnerable groups.
In the UK Ozempic costs GBP 180 on average for four months treatment. After treatment stops, appetite returns and weight gain almost always ensues. In the US a months treatment costs upwards of a thousand dollars. People are spending extortionate sums of money to achieve such physiques, which especially amidst a cost-of-living crisis deprives people of basic necessities as they strive for an "easy-route to a better body".
Finally the high demand for Ozempic limits its use as a drug for its'' intended purpose - diabetes; this limits people who need the medication to live from accessing it, while wealthier people purchase huge amounts for purely cosmetic reasons.
Should Ozempic be used?
Ozempic has undoubtably changed lives, both of diabetics and people uncomfortable in their bodies. However new medications are arising that achieve the same results as Ozempic without taking the medication from those who need it.
We should not reinforce the need to take a new drug to feel good about your body, exercise and commitment remain a desirable, more long-lasting albeit far more challenging route to weight loss.