Ozempic could one day be widely available for people looking to lose weight, a leading specialist in obesity has predicted. 

The weight loss drug has been hailed as a gamechanger in the fight against obesity but it is currently strictly prescribed only to people with an underlying health condition. 

Speaking on The Hard Shoulder, GP Dr Michael described the drug as “fantastic” and predicted it will be much more commonly prescribed in the years ahead - comparing it to statins, which are used to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

“These medications probably will be used more in the same way as when cholesterol tablets - like statins came out first - they were only given to people after a heart attack or people with very severe high cholesterol,” he said. 

“Now we’re using them appropriately in prevention and lots of other areas and I think that probably will happen but we need the scientific data showing that.”

A box of diabetes medicine Ozempic in a pharmacy. Picture by: ANP / Alamy Stock Photo

Dr Crotty said people buying the drug on the black market is a “growing issue” and noted the number of illegal drugs seized by officials has surged in 2024. 

It is a trend that has left doctors concerned that people desperate to lose weight could be taking drugs that are not suitable for them. 

“Somebody who is getting this medication from their doctor, from a specialist will have a full health assessment done, they’ll know how these medications work, why they work, how they should be used,” Dr Crotty said. 

“There’s safety in that [as it] helps people navigate side effects and what else they should be doing as well as being on this medication. 

“The concern would be if somebody’s getting these medications online or from somebody who is not aware how to use them appropriately, then people [might develop] more side effects, they [might] maybe not get the same benefits from the medication and maybe they shouldn’t be on them in the first place.” 

An Ozempic injection kit. Picture by: Alamy.com

Side effects of Ozempic include nausea, heartburn, constipation, diarrhoea and fatigue. 

There is also a risk that people might take Ozempic, lose weight and then stop taking the drug unaware that the drug should be taken long-term. 

“If I stop taking the medication, then the ongoing benefit of the treatment is not there,” Dr Crotty said. 

“So, people will regain weight and people will need to be on these treatments long-term.” 

According to the HSE, some 60% of Irish adults are overweight - one of the highest figures in Europe.

Main image: An Ozempic injection. Picture by: Alamy.com