The weight-loss pharmaceutical industry has seen explosive growth in the past few years, and no medication has generated as much buzz as semaglutide, the drug marketed under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy. Originally released as an antidiabetic medication, semaglutide quickly found a wider audience thanks to its potent appetite-suppressing effects, which made it highly sought after among celebrities and others looking to quickly shed some pounds. Today the drug is FDA-approved for weight management in certain cases, but surging demand has sparked an ongoing semaglutide shortage—a trend that concerns Shilpa Ravella, M.D., gastroenterologist and author of A Silent Fire: The Story of Inflammation, Diet and Disease.
“This drug should not be used to quickly lose 10 or 15 pounds,” Ravella says. “It’s not a casual thing to drastically alter your body’s metabolic processes.” But…