Saxenda shortages: what does this mean for you?
There is currently a global shortage of glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) such as Saxenda, the weight loss injection.
If you’ve run out of your Saxenda supply, don’t worry. Stopping treatment suddenly will not cause any side effects. Alternatively, if you still have some Saxenda pens left, reduce the dose to make your supply last longer.
Why is Saxenda in short supply?
The global shortage is partly due to a surge in demand for the drug semaglutide, which you might recognise by its brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, the latter of which isn’t currently released yet in the UK.
Partly this demand is as a result of extensive media coverage which is introducing new patients to the substantial benefits of GLP-1 treatments for weight-loss.
This is leading patients to look for alternative weight management drugs, such as Saxenda (liraglutide) and oustripping the supply.
When will the supply issues end?
The company that makes both Saxenda and Wegovy, Novo Nordisk, has stated that supply chain issues are unlikely to be resolved until 2024. We're working closely with Novo Nordisk to secure more stock to meet our patients needs, however, we do expect intermittent availability of supplies.
Sign up to email alerts to be notified as soon as we have available stock. Please only order what you need for each month to ensure we can continue to manage supplies for all patients.
Which drugs are affected by the shortage?
It’s expected that the current shortages will impact the supplies of all GLP-1 RA medication, which include:
- Ozempic
- Rybelsus
- Trulicity
- Victoza
- Saxenda
- Byetta
- Bydureon
What to do if this affects you?
You can still complete a weight loss consultation with us. However, these shortages mean that you may need to change to a different medication or management plan.
Our healthcare team should be able to discuss the options with you. Please only order what you need and be respectful of the quantities you’re ordering.
