Gov't warns Kenyans against use of Ozempic for weight loss

The Ministry of Health, through the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB), has issued a cautionary advisory to members of the public against the off-label use of Semaglutide-containing compounds, popularly marketed under brand names such as Ozempic, for weight loss.

The Board says that while the drug is approved for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus that is insufficiently controlled, its unsupervised use by individuals seeking rapid slimming solutions poses serious health dangers.

PPB Chief Executive Officer Dr. Fred Siyoi, in an alert released on Tuesday, emphasised that “Semaglutide is a prescription-only medicine and its unsupervised or off-label use may result in serious health outcomes.”

Dr. Siyoi noted that Semaglutide, known to the public as Ozempic and other generic names, should only be used under the direction of a qualified healthcare professional for its intended and medically approved purpose.

Even then, he acknowledged that although the benefits of Semaglutide outweigh its risks for diabetic patients, safety concerns continue to be raised – particularly when it is used outside its approved medical function.

PPB noted that some of the common side effects associated with the drug include low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), eye conditions, acid reflux disease, and intestinal obstruction - with severity ranging from mild to severe.

“In light of the foregoing safety concerns, the public is advised against the off-label use of the medicines and encouraged to report any suspected side effects and poor quality products,” Dr. Siyoi added.

Kenyans who suffer adverse reactions have been urged to file complaints through the official PPB pharmacovigilance reporting portals.

The warning comes amid a global social-media-fuelled craze that has seen non-diabetic individuals scramble for Ozempic, touted as a miracle weight-loss jab.

Authorities now fear that the trend may trigger a spike in unregulated consumption, adverse reactions, and black-market sales, hence the fresh call for prudence and vigilance in medicine use.