Diabetes, what to do if drugs that reduce appetite are not found in pharmacies? – breaking latest news

My husband has had diabetes for 15 years, a few months ago he started a treatment with an injection once a week in addition to metformin. He’s fine, diabetes improved and glycated hemoglobin decreased. He has lost over 5 kg and says he has less appetite. But at the pharmacy they told me that this medicine is no longer available. True? I’m very worried.

He answers Riccardo FornengoHead of Diabetology ASL TO4 – Piedmont, Association of Diabetologists (VAI AL FORUM)

You are almost certainly referring to semaglutide, which is a drug belonging to the class of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA). Semaglutide, like all GLP-1 RAs, stimulates insulin production, but only in the presence of high blood sugar levels, which reduces the risk of hypoglycemia; slows gastric emptying and reduces appetiteleading to a decrease in food intake, and would also act directly reducing fat mass. Semaglutide also can reduce the production of glucagon by the pancreas, which contributes to reduce blood sugar levels. In summary, semaglutide acts in various ways to improve glycemic control and reduce appetite: for these reasons, it is an effective treatment in type 2 diabetes, promoting weight loss. Many studies have highlighted important effects of prevention of cardiovascular events like heart attack.

Improper use

Semaglutide, like the other GLP-1 RAs, are registered by EMA and AIFA as diabetes management medications. Precisely its effect on weight loss at the basis of the problem of poor availability in pharmacies. Through social media and other means of communication, the news of the effectiveness of the drug on weight spread. This has led to a very significant increase in consumption in non-diabetic people who want to lose weight. The manufacturing company, which had calibrated the production on the possible consumption by people with diabetes, found itself unprepared for this excess of improper requests. However, there are equally valid alternatives, with a similar mechanism of action. Semaglutide itself in widely available oral form (misuse mainly affects injection formulation), as are available other analogous molecules belonging to the GLP-1 RA family. Therefore I invite her husband to contact the diabetologist, who will be able to effectively replace the molecule.