26 votes

Health Canada approves 1st generic version of Novo Nordisk's Ozempic

8 comments

  1. [6]
    AugustusFerdinand
    Link
    In case you're wondering how Ozempic is generic in Canada already see here - https://tild.es/1tb2 - in short, someone at Novo Nordisk screwed up, refused to pay $450 and they lost patent...

    In case you're wondering how Ozempic is generic in Canada already see here - https://tild.es/1tb2 - in short, someone at Novo Nordisk screwed up, refused to pay $450 and they lost patent protection in Canada as a result.

    11 votes
    1. thearctic
      Link Parent
      This will go in the history books

      This will go in the history books

      5 votes
    2. [4]
      balooga
      Link Parent
      So what's U.S. law say about importing those generics across the border? Are there (legitimate) online pharmacies that could deliver?

      So what's U.S. law say about importing those generics across the border? Are there (legitimate) online pharmacies that could deliver?

      4 votes
      1. moocow1452
        Link Parent
        https://www.fda.gov/industry/import-basics/personal-importation The rules are that it is illegal, but the FDA has discretion in enforcement for personal use for supplies under 90 days. Depending...

        https://www.fda.gov/industry/import-basics/personal-importation

        The rules are that it is illegal, but the FDA has discretion in enforcement for personal use for supplies under 90 days.

        Depending on your definition of legitimate, pharmacies for this sort of stuff have been around for a while, but maybe a more developed path occurs once this becomes a more of a thing that happens with Ozempic specifically?

        7 votes
      2. [2]
        stu2b50
        Link Parent
        It’s illegal. Enforcement is difficult, but if you don’t care you can get gray market generic formulations of Ozempic today.

        It’s illegal. Enforcement is difficult, but if you don’t care you can get gray market generic formulations of Ozempic today.

        4 votes
        1. carsonc
          Link Parent
          We should clarify what the term illegal means. Selling it, particularly as a pharmaceutical, without being a licensed compounding pharmacy, could easily result in prosecution if anyone noticed....

          We should clarify what the term illegal means. Selling it, particularly as a pharmaceutical, without being a licensed compounding pharmacy, could easily result in prosecution if anyone noticed. However, buying it and injecting it into yourself is only highly discouraged out of concern for public safety link. If you want to buy "Research Use Only" Semaglutide from another country and reconstitute it for your own personal use, well, there's really no statute that you can be prosecuted under. Semaglutide isn't a controlled substance.

          I will point out that the adverse events discussed in the FDA notice were from not indicated as coming from taking the "off-brand" formulations. This is not to say that one is safer than the other, rather that imported versions of the drug have not resulted in a level of harm excessively beyond that of the approved formulation, something that would be conspicuously highlighted in public messaging, were it found to be the case.

          3 votes
  2. rogue_cricket
    (edited )
    Link
    This is going to be so good for me. Ozempic has been awesome for helping me manage my diabetes, but coverage is challenging because when my A1C starts to look good (BECAUSE of the ozempic), they...

    This is going to be so good for me. Ozempic has been awesome for helping me manage my diabetes, but coverage is challenging because when my A1C starts to look good (BECAUSE of the ozempic), they stop wanting to cover it. Massive pain.

    8 votes
  3. chocobean
    Link
    Clarification: Canadians still need a prescription to obtain this, though. Sorry, first thought was if anyone wanted me to mail some to you in Freedom land.

    Despite the excitement around the news, experts like Dasgupta say semaglutide is still a prescribed medication that shouldn't be used without health-care supervision.

    Clarification: Canadians still need a prescription to obtain this, though. Sorry, first thought was if anyone wanted me to mail some to you in Freedom land.

    6 votes