On the occasion of the publicity for the use of the drug Ozempic, which is intended for patients with diabetes, by people who wish to lose weight, resulting in shortages, the Panhellenic Medical Association (PIS) emphasizes that “for its supply, and despite the unacceptable daily practice of buying directly from the pharmacy, patients should obtain it after from medical advice and a handwritten prescription. Because like any medicine, it is administered according to its indications.” In addition, the doctors, PIS notes, must not to prescribe it for weight lossmisdiagnosing diabetes.

The PIS highlights two scientific facts:

Semaglutide (Ozempic) is a medicine intended to treat diabetes. In our country, it is given to diagnosed diabetic patients only with an electronic prescription.

There is a preparation that helps those who wish to lose weight of the same family, liraglutide (saxenta), which contains an amount of active substance suitable for this purpose (and more than required for the regulation of diabetes). This medicine is not covered by EOPYY and is not prescribed electronically.

PIS emphasizes that “pharmacists must not administer liraglutide without a doctor’s prescription, applying what has been taught in all the pharmaceutical schools of the planet over the centuries”. Also, “the State must include obesity in the diseases included in electronic prescribing, so that even medicines that are not reimbursed can be prescribed electronically. It must always, of course, submit the self-evident for a European country, the administration of medicines only with a medical prescription according to the dictates of science”.

As PIS reports, citizens who wish to lose weight need to know that achieving this difficult goal is not easily possible with “miracle” drugs and methods. It demands sustained systematic effort and adopting a healthy lifestyle. Since taking medication is part of this effort, they need to receive medical advice and guidance for it to be safe and effective.

“Finally for those who trust online information, we inform you that Dr Google is never on call”, concludes the PIS.