Ozempic's Cost Barrier: Seniors' Weight Loss Struggle

0:00It's April 7th. This is Calgary News today, AI-powered stories from your city. 77-year-old Ann Weld from Ontario gained weight after retiring from her tough job at the SPCA, and now she can't afford olympics to help. Shed it. Her doctor prescribed the drug for her weight issues and thyroid problems, but since she doesn't have diabetes, the public drug plan for seniors won't. Cover it. That leaves her paying a few hundred dollars a month out of her fixed pension income, which just isn't doable. Meanwhile, her husband Steve dropped 30-40 pounds on the same bed because his diabetes qualifies him for coverage. Across Canada, public plans follow the same rule, sticking to health Canada's approval for diabetes only. OZEMPICs become the top driver of drug costs, eating up $807 million of the $20.1 billion total public spend last. Year. Folks like Welch feel the frustration deep. Having loved one succeed while they're stuck, experts say cost is the biggest roadblock

1:00for non-diabetics needing these GLP-1 drugs for obesity. Doctors are telling patients the hand-tight, promising generics will slash prices soon. Nine generic versions of semaglutide, OZEMPIC's key ingredient are under health Canada review right now. Approval's tricky since it's a complex synthetic biologic, but companies like One from India are pushing forward and waiting on the green light. Another patient, 53-year-old Brenda Rodgers with diabetes, is even rationing rival minjaro doses after losing job coverage. With generics potentially hitting shells this summer, hopes building for real access without breaking the bank. Patients like these are counting on lower costs to keep their health journeys rolling strong.