Canadian Patients Eye Generic Ozempic for Lower Costs

In Paris, Ontario, 77-year-old retiree Anne Welch faces a daily battle with weight gain after leaving her physically demanding job at a local animal shelter six years ago. Despite efforts to maintain a healthy diet, her underactive thyroid and reduced activity have led to persistent struggles, exacerbating back pain and other health issues. Welch's doctor prescribed Ozempic, a GLP-1 medication known for aiding weight loss, but without a diabetes diagnosis, she cannot access public coverage and finds the monthly cost of several hundred dollars unaffordable on her fixed income from the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security.

Welch's frustration deepened watching her husband, Steve, lose 30 to 40 pounds on the same drug, which his provincial program covers due to his diabetes. Public drug plans across Canada, including Ontario's for seniors over 65, limit Ozempic to diabetes treatment, aligning with Health Canada's approval for that condition, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information. This leaves many non-diabetic patients, particularly those treating obesity, to pay out of pocket. Ozempic has surged in demand, becoming the top driver of public prescription...