This content material initially appeared on diaTribe. Republished with permission.
By April Hopcroft
In response to a latest replace by the FDA, shortages for Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound will persist via at the least June 2024.
New diabetes and weight reduction drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound have made fairly a splash at physician’s workplaces, on TV, and even amongst TikTok influencers. Along with their well-known weight reduction results, these medicine enhance glycemic management and might defend the guts and kidneys.
Due to the unprecedented demand for these drugs, many are in restricted provide. The newest replace from the FDA notes that the shortages for Mounjaro and Zepbound will final via at the least June 2024. An earlier FDA announcement had stated some doses could be briefly provide via April 2024.
This information follows a scarcity of Ozempic, which started in late 2022 and has since been resolved, in accordance with the FDA. Nonetheless, the FDA lists all doses of the load loss treatment Wegovy, which comprises the identical lively ingredient as Ozempic (semaglutide), as having restricted availability because of elevated demand.
Which doses are affected?
Mounjaro and Zepbound have the identical lively ingredient (tirzepatide) and are available in 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, and 15 mg injection pens. In response to the FDA, all doses of Mounarjo and Zepbound besides the two.5 mg starter dose have restricted availability via the tip of June 2024.
Equally, all doses of Wegovy besides the bottom dose (2.4 mg) have restricted availability. The FDA has not offered an estimate for a way lengthy the Wegovy scarcity will final. The kind 2 diabetes treatment Trulicity (dulaglutide) can also be experiencing related shortages, with all doses besides the bottom (0.75 mg) having restricted availability via June 2024.
What can individuals with diabetes do in the course of the scarcity?
There are a number of completely different choices for coping with the shortages. Mounjaro and Zepbound customers may take into account switching again right down to the two.5 mg pen since that dose remains to be out there; Wegovy customers may swap again to the two.4 mg pen. Whereas this isn’t preferrred in the long run, it could actually nonetheless present some advantages and make the results last more till greater doses can be found once more.
It could even be doable to modify to a distinct incretin drug, like a GLP-1 receptor agonist. Some examples of different GLP-1 medicine embrace:
- Ozempic (semaglutide), a weekly injection
- Rybelsus (semaglutide), a each day tablet
- Victoza, Saxenda (liraglutide), a each day injection
- Byetta (exenatide), a twice-daily injection
Word that Novo Nordisk doesn’t advocate switching to Saxenda, because the firm can’t guarantee there will likely be sufficient provide to satisfy the rising demand for weight reduction medicine.
It’s essential to test together with your healthcare supplier and insurance coverage to find out which options are best for you and if they are going to be coated.
The underside line
Based mostly on the demand for these diabetes and weight reduction drugs, a number of corporations are rising manufacturing capability.
For example, Lilly not too long ago started making these medicine at its manufacturing plant in North Carolina and is increasing to different websites the world over. Likewise, Novo Nordisk greater than doubled the quantity of the decrease doses of Wegovy beginning in January 2024 to assist meet elevated demand and is slowly increasing general provide.
Though there will not be a particular finish date in sight, the elevated manufacturing capability ought to assist finally resolve these shortages.
Shortages can definitely be a supply of misery. Keep in mind that they’re momentary and that it’s essential to proceed working towards common diabetes self-care and sustaining wholesome habits within the meantime.
