When Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel gave his opening monologue at the awards, he joked about the drug Ozempic, saying, "Everybody looks so great. When I look around this room, I can’t help but wonder ‘Is Ozempic right for me?’”
Ozempic is a diabetes drug, with a twist. It may also help people lose weight and after being promoted in Hollywood circles, it has exploded in popularity.
Its weight-loss properties have led some doctors to prescribe the medication "off-label" to obese patients.
TikTok users are promoting it using a weight loss hashtag and videos are attracting millions of views.
The huge demand has contributed to a worldwide shortage, and Australia hasn't been immune.
One woman using Ozempic for weight loss said she has sourced it overseas because it is too hard to find in Australia.
"It works well - I lost 12 kilograms since October 2022," she told The Feed.
"I just got one Ozempic supply last Friday."
Now, online scammers are seeking to capitalise.
Australia's health product regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) told The Feed the scams are tricking customers into entering personal or payment details online to buy products that don't exist.
It said this month it's investigating some websites claiming to sell semaglutide, trading as Ozempic, but it added that some customers are not receiving the product or instead find it's an alternative drug.
This channel was shared on the UNSW Health and Medicine Facebook page to attempt to sell ozempic to users online. Source: Supplied
The TGA said unapproved products disguised as semaglutide are being imported into Australia and intercepted by the Australian Border Force.
"These products are currently being tested at the TGA labs," a TGA spokesperson said.
This online user shows her before and after shots, while encouraging use of Ozempic to lose weight. Source: Supplied
Seek proper advice
Experts are warning about the importance of seeking medical advice from trusted professionals.
Associate Professor Sof Adrikopoulos from Diabetes Australia told The Feed the drug works by affecting the brain to reduce appetite.
"If you are ordering or you are trying to access supply from other sources you do not know what you are getting for starters," he said.
The diabetes drug Ozempic has become popular for its weight-loss properties. Source: Getty / Joel Saget
Associate Professor Sof Andrikopoulos represents Diabetes Australia and is warning consumers to source medication properly Source: Supplied
Another clinician in NSW, Dr Namson Lau, says his colleagues have received unsolicited emails and faxes offering to supply patients with a 'generic semaglutide', which they have ignored.
"We ignored these messages though as per the TGA's advice, such claims are illegal and are scams, and should properly be reported to them," Dr Lau said.
Ozempic is being spruiked on Facebook groups as a weight loss treatment. Source: Supplied
Ozempic shortage hits diabetes community
Yvonne Appleby has type two diabetes and said the shortage has been 'quite horrific.'
"Because I was off it for so long, it took a long time for me to get used to taking it again," she said.
The 58-year-old said she is not keen to order Ozempic online.
"It just goes to show you how desperately people with type two diabetes need this medication if that is the length that they will through to be able to get supply of it," she said.
Yvonne Appleby takes Ozempic to treat her type two diabetes. Source: Supplied
'Social media is a beast'
Professor Nitika Garg from UNSW Business school studies consumer behaviour. She said people struggling with weight loss are a vulnerable population being targeted online.
Consumer behaviour expert Professor Nitika Garg studies how customers act. Source: Supplied
“The scams are scams which people are not getting the drug at all but other consumers who are actually using the drug, how are they getting their hands on it,” she asked.
“This whole TikTok phenomenon, the social media endorsement if you will of Ozempic along with the shortage is just like the perfect storm,” Professor Garg said.
She said a proactive approach is needed to prevent further medical issues for consumers online.
“Social media is a beast- this will happen again with some other product so we need to be ahead of the curve,” she said.
The TGA says limited supplies of Ozempic have resumed and are expected to return to normal in coming weeks.
