A medical expert has warned of the side effects of a newly launched weight loss drug and recommended that the drug be used only under the strict supervision of a doctor due to health risks. He also recommended the dosage.
He was talking about the sensational injection for the treatment of type 2 diabetes Ozempic, which was launched on Friday by the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.
It is popular worldwide for its weight loss benefits. A medical expert told PTI, “It had very good effects on weight loss and glucose control and also has very good data on cardiovascular outcomes.”
Ozempic side effects
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation can be side effects. “We have to rule out gallstones and pancreatitis and also rule out thyroid tumors,” the expert said.
He added that Ozempic should be administered under close medical supervision by endocrinologists or internal medicine specialists.
Ozempic should not be used as…
Ozempic should not be used as a cosmetic product. He also said that one must not “microdose”.
Dosage of Ozempic
The expert said Ozempic is a once-weekly injection useful for individuals living with diabetes. “We start slow, go slow with the lowest dose possible under medical supervision,” he said.
Following its launch on Friday, Ozempic is now available in India as 0.25mg, 0.5mg and 1mg in the ‘FlexTouch Pen’ – an easy-to-use pen that is administered once a week. Each pen has four doses once a week, the company announced.
A patient prescribed Ozempic injection would start with a dose of 0.25 mg for four weeks with a total cost of ₹8,800.
Then, according to the doctor’s diagnosis, the patient goes either to the next phase, a “step” with a dose of 0.5 mg for at least four weeks.
Ozempic costs
Ozempic is sold at the starting price ₹2200 per week.
Monthly prices are ₹8,800 for 0.25mg, ₹10,170 for 0.5 mg and ₹11,175 for 1 mg, with each pen covering four weekly doses.
