The trend of the type 2 diabetic drug Ozempic being used for weight loss is now being pitched and studied for American children.
Pharmaceutical companies are looking to get Ozempic weight loss shots approved for children who qualify. The push for the drug to be approved for children faces criticism as just this past summer, the FDA received 14,149 reports of gastrointestinal disorders after the use of semaglutide medications, which includes both Ozempic and Wegovy. The FDA dashboard has now been wiped from previous data findings.
Following the popularity and profitability of medications such as Ozempic, drug companies are now pushing to get weight-loss drugs approved for patients as young as six https://t.co/HdmUDVzN1v
— Bloomberg (@business) October 20, 2023
The medication has seen a significant rise in popularity, not only for those obese Americans looking to lose large amounts of weight, but also for those who are interested in shedding a couple of stubborn, unwanted pounds. The drug has become so popular, it became difficult for patients who depend on the drug for their type 2 diabetes.
Part of the interest to prescribe Ozempic to kids and teens stem from the outrageous percentage of obesity in American children, which reportedly affects 22 percent of 12- to 19-year-olds. As of December 2022, the FDA approved Wegovy as a treatment option for teenagers with obesity, accordinf to The Atlantic.
Silvana Obici, M.D., chief of the endocrinology and metabolism division at Stony Brook Diabetes Center, and specialist in obesity and diabetes medicine, reminds Parents magazine that while these drugs have helped many obese patients, they also come with side effects – commonly vomiting and nausea – and possible contradictions such as gallbladder stones and gastrointestinal issues.
Social media influencers on TikTok and Instagram have shared their experiences after using Ozempic for weight loss, with one TikTok star Remi Bader opening up about how she gained back twice the amount of weight once she stopped using Ozempic.
Remi Bader Says She 'Gained Double the Weight Back' After Stopping Weight-Loss Drug Ozempic pic.twitter.com/qitLOzkOaY
— People (@people) January 11, 2023
Obici also clarifies that “These are medications that you have to take for life. The moment you stop this medication, you gain all the weight back.”
Studies from the Southampton Children’s Hospital share opposite stances on how long children will need to take the medication, informing parents that their kids will need to take these medications until they reach their target weight.
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