For the past few months, anti-diabetic drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have been everywhere. These treatments first gained notoriety on TikTok touted by of the influencers as an easy way to lose weight fast. Despite the controversy, they are now advertised on the New York subway.
Telemedicine company Ro covered Times Square and Grand Central stations on the New York City subway with ads for its “Body Program.”
A program to lose weight thanks to weekly injections of Ozempic or Wegovy, two anti-diabetics initially intended to regulate a Type 2 diabetes.
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Rapid weight loss is one of the side effects of semaglutide, the active ingredient in both drugs. But the list does not stop there: nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, vomiting, hypoglycaemia, gallstones, increased heart rate, or even pancreatitis… taking semaglutide is not trivial, and stopping treatment usually results in rapid weight gain.
Despite these many side effects, Ozempic and Wegovy have been stormed by the general public after being touted by celebrities like Elon Musk, leading to shortages.
Health authorities in several countries, including the United States and France, had to recall the instructions for prescribing this treatment, which has not been approved for use as an appetite suppressant for the general public. The slimming virtues of semaglutide are normally reserved only for the treatment of severe obesity and require special medical monitoring.
The controversy did not prevent Ro from launching a vast advertising campaign in the New York subway. The telemedicine company explains that he wants to “help his patients achieve their health goals” and affirms “to de-stigmatize obesity through an effective treatment (…) which could be a real solution for millions of people”.
Between plebiscite on social networks and aggressive communication campaign in the metro, the Ozempic has a bright future ahead of it. And too bad if its success harms patients who need this drug to control their diabetes.
