Why Canada has generic Ozempic, and the US doesn't
Key takeaways
- Because she had not yet developed diabetes, the retired 69-year-old was prescribed Wegovy for weight loss rather than its sister drug, Ozempic – both of which contain the active ingredient semaglutide.
- "I was one decimal point away from being diabetic," Doran, who lives in Ottawa, Canada, told the BBC.
- Her Wegovy prescription meant she was not eligible for insurance drug coverage offered to diabetic seniors in Ontario, forcing her to pay between C$350 ($250; £188) to C$500 out of pocket a month.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Nadine Yousif Senior Canada reporter Reuters In recent weeks, Canada became the first G7 country to approve a generic version of the popular drug Ozempic.Elizabeth Doran has been taking GLP-1 medications for nearly a year for weight loss to help reverse her prediabetes and high blood pressure. Because she had not yet developed diabetes, the retired 69-year-old was prescribed Wegovy for weight loss rather than its sister drug, Ozempic – both of which contain the active ingredient semaglutide.
"I was one decimal point away from being diabetic," Doran, who lives in Ottawa, Canada, told the BBC.
Her Wegovy prescription meant she was not eligible for insurance drug coverage offered to diabetic seniors in Ontario, forcing her to pay between C$350 ($250; £188) to C$500 out of pocket a month.