Of the million diabetics in the Netherlands, approximately 40,000 diabetes patients in the Netherlands use Ozempic. The drug, in the form of a weekly injection, ensures that blood sugars remain under control. “This injection ensures that the sugars remain within a certain bandwidth,” says diabetes patient Polman. If the sugar in the blood remains structurally too high and is not properly regulated, diabetic patients can experience problems with the kidneys, eyes and limbs. At the beginning of this year, Polman already noticed that there was a run on the drug. “I couldn’t get it and then the GP offered two alternatives.” According to Polman, the alternative medicine did not work and it actually increased his blood sugar. The shortage is partly due to people who use the drug as a weight-loss aid, and the drug is not intended for that, says De Boer.
Slimming aid
De Boer is aware of the shortage. The chairman explains that the manufacturer of the drug reported that they cannot cope with the demand. According to De Boer, this is linked to the fact that the product is also used outside the official indication, for people who want to lose weight. “They are now increasing production, but there are shortages from time to time.”
