B.C. sales of Ozempic to U.S. residents plummet by 99% after provincial restrictions

The amount of Ozempic being sold to U.S. residents from pharmacies in B.C. has fallen dramatically since restrictions came into effect this spring, according to the province.

A statement on Friday said sales of the diabetes drug have plummeted by more than 99 per cent since the province stopped allowing American residents to order it online from B.C. on April 19.

From April 20 to May 31, pharmacies in B.C. filled 111 Ozempic prescriptions to people with addresses in the U.S.

By comparison, the province said 30,700 Ozempic prescriptions were filled in B.C. between Jan. 1 and April 19.

Ozempic is a drug largely intended for people with Type 2 diabetes. The medication become popular in recent months, with celebrities and online influencers promoting its ability to help with weight loss, even though it's not approved for that purpose.

The province said there is no shortage of Ozempic in B.C. or in Canada, but sales were restricted to prevent that scenario.

The health ministry said 15 per cent of Ozempic sales in the first two months of the year went to U.S. residents. Health Minister Adrian Dix said those numbers were "concerning," considering the average for other drugs sold to Americans was less than half a per cent.

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People in the U.S. would order the medication from B.C. online and have it delivered by mail.

The College of Pharmacists of B.C. is still investigating the two Metro Vancouver pharmacies that mailed most of those doses south.

A single physician in Nova Scotia who wrote 95 per cent of prescriptions to those pharmacies has been temporarily suspended.

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B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said the province needs to restrict the amount of Ozempic that can be sold to non-Canadians, particularly U.S. residents, as demand for the diabetes drug soars because celebrities have said it can help with weight loss.

People who need Ozempic for diabetes or other health conditions likely need it for life, with studies showing weight often comes back after patients stop taking it. The drug costs between $200 and $300 per month in Canada.

B.C.'s PharmaCare program covers Ozempic as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes if metformin is not effective. Patients are not reimbursed if they use the drug for weight loss.