Canada’s supplier of Ozempic, the diabetes medication that has been popularized for weight loss, is calling for national regulation of cross-border sales to avoid shortages.
British Columbia announced in March that it is taking action to curb sales of drugs to U.S. residents when supplies are tight, after officials uncovered a burgeoning online trade that has been diverting Ozempic to meet demand in the United States.
A spokesperson for the drug manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, applauded B.C.’s work to regulate sales, but said the effort needs to be national to be effective: Canada does not have a surplus to sell.
“Supplying non-Canadian residents with Ozempic that was designated for Canada increases the risk of shortages for Canadians,” Kate Hanna, Novo Nordisk Canada’s associate director for communications and corporate affairs, said in a written response to questions.
Online companies are targeting U.S. customers with the promise of “cheap” Canadian Ozempic. Because Canada regulates the price of patented drugs, the cost of Ozempic is typically three times higher in the United States.
Robust sales of Ozempic have led to shortages in the U.S., and Ms. Hanna said the company can’t provide additional supplies to Canada.
“While Ozempic is supplied to the Canadian market based on anticipated demand, there are constraints that limit increasing supply in the short term,” Ms. Hanna wrote. She said the company is working with wholesalers, Ottawa and the provinces to limit the sale of the drug to non-Canadian residents “in an effort to safeguard our current and future supply for Canadian patients.”
Pharmacists fear more drugs may fall into loophole that saw Ozempic sent from B.C. to U.S.
An investigation ordered by Adrian Dix, B.C.’s Minister of Health, found an exceptional number of prescriptions were signed by a Texas-based physician who was licensed in Nova Scotia, and sent to U.S. customers by two online pharmacies in British Columbia. The physician alleged to have signed more than 17,000 prescriptions in the span of three months has been suspended by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia pending a full investigation.
Mr. Dix raised the issue on Wednesday with Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, who was in Vancouver for a funding announcement.
Mr. Duclos told reporters he supports the actions taken by B.C. and Nova Scotia in this case, which he described as “a level of abuse that was outrageous.”
Ozempic is approved for use in Canada as a therapy for Type 2 diabetes to help patients manage blood sugar levels. It is not approved for weight loss therapy, although the drug has been touted on social media for that purpose.
Through the Food and Drugs Act, the federal government can prohibit the bulk distribution outside of Canada of drugs that are intended for the Canadian market, if that sale could cause or worsen a shortage. That rule applies to manufacturers and distributors – but not to pharmacies, which fall under the responsibility of provincial and territorial governments.
However Mr. Duclos said it is possible that the legislation could be applied to address this issue.