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Patients without diabetes who want to reduce their weight are currently also receiving prescriptions for such drugs. This has led to a massive increase in demand. According to an ÖDG broadcast, there is currently a worldwide shortage of these drugs from the group of GLP-1 receptor agonists.
“The ÖDG calls on all doctors to temporarily stop prescribing these substances for weight loss in people without diabetes in this situation of deficiency, since there are currently no equivalent therapy alternatives available for people with diabetes in Austria,” emphasized the ÖDG. Any prescription of medication that does not conform to the indication should be refrained from.
Discontinuation of therapy unfavorable consequences
In this situation, priority is given to guaranteeing the supply of GLP-1-RA preparations to those patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are already undergoing therapy. “An acute discontinuation of an ongoing GLP-1-RA therapy that was not planned by a doctor can have unfavorable health consequences for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus,” said ÖDG President Primar Martin Clodi and head of the Department of Internal Medicine at the Brothers of Mercy in Quoted from Linz.
Patients were asked to contact their treating diabetes teams in good time. Since drugs of this class are extremely effective, it can be assumed that blood sugar levels will rise after stopping the drug due to a lack of availability. The ÖDG expects the supply situation to improve in the course of the first half of 2024.
The following diabetes preparations available in Austria are affected by the temporary supply bottleneck: Victoza (Novo Nordisk, active ingredient Liraglutide), Ozempic (Novo Nordisk, substance Semaglutide) and Trulicity (Eli Lilly, substance Dulaglutide).
Source: Nachrichten
