Ozempic's popularity leads to shortages for people with Type 2 diabetes
NPR Online NewsJUN 2024
Poll: Weight-Loss Drug Demand Could Outstrip Supply
Above: Injection pens for Wegovy on display during a news conference in Mumbai, India. Image copyright: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
The government has to step up to take the burden off of health providers. Too many people dealing with obesity aren't receiving the necessary level of government support to manage their condition, and they're turning to these drugs, which aren't widely available. It's time for these people to receive more support.
Narrative B
Health agencies have done their job creating strict guidelines, but the drug companies that advertise these medicines as beneficial for people of all types are causing the rise in demand. They also should've been more prepared for the drugs' success and the demand that would follow. No one who doesn't need these drugs should get them.