Prescription of diabetes drug Ozempic for weight loss ‘contributing to UK shortage’

Experts and patients concerned over off-label prescribing of drug famous as celebrity slimming jab

Patients, charities and health officials have called for prescribers to stop issuing a diabetes drug for weight loss amid a national shortage for those most in need.

Ozempic, which contains the active ingredient semaglutide, is licensed for managing blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. However it has quickly become famous as a celebrity slimming jab, with online pharmacies prescribing it off-label" for those seeking to lose weight.