Ozempic, the diabetes drug turned global weight-loss craze, is under mounting legal and medical scrutiny.
Once celebrated as a breakthrough injection for managing type 2 diabetes, the drug gained worldwide fame when celebrities and social media influencers began promoting it as a quick way to slim down.
Instagram and TikTok feeds exploded with before-and-after transformations. This viral marketing pushed global demand through the roof as it was perceived asa shortcut for losing weight.
But today, its manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, faces lawsuits worth more than $2 billion in the United States (approximately Sh259 Billion).
Patients suing the company allege they suffered serious side effects, including stomach paralysis, severe vomiting, and vision loss.
More than 1,200 cases have already been consolidated into multidistrict litigation in Pennsylvania, according to lawsuittracker.org.
Novo Nordisk denies wrongdoing. The company says Ozempic is safe when taken as prescribed and stresses that it is only FDA-approved for diabetes treatment.
Labels, they argue, already warn of possible gastrointestinal issues. However, critics say the drug’s explosive use for weight loss fueled by social media trends has far outpaced its intended purpose, with risks not fully disclosed to users.
While not everyone experiences severe complications, doctors warn that short-term weight loss may come at a long-term cost.
Medical experts advise users to schedule regular health checks, monitor any changes in vision or digestion, and consider lifestyle-based weight management as safer alternatives.
In Kenya, on Tuesday, Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) CEO Fred Siyoi warned against the off-label use of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, for cosmetic weight loss. “Semaglutide is a Prescription-Only Medicine, and its unsupervised or off-label use may result in serious health outcomes,” he said.
The PPB highlighted risks such as low blood sugar, eye problems, acid reflux, and even intestinal obstruction. Although the benefits outweigh the risks when used for diabetes, the board noted that “serious safety concerns continue to be raised.”
The regulator urged Kenyans to avoid misusing the drug and to report any suspected side effects.
The warning comes amid a surge of local influencers marketing Ozempic as a miracle slimming solution, often without disclosing the health risks involved.