By Kate Dennett for Daily Mail Australia
23:52 14 March 2024, updated 23:56 14 March 2024
A top doctor has slammed celebrity use of Ozempic and claims they are giving the weight loss drug a “terrible name”.
Dr Nick Coatsworth appeared on the Today show on Friday to discuss the drug becoming a trend in Hollywood after stars admitted to using it to lose weight.
The doctor, who specializes in infectious diseases, claims that Hollywood stars who use Ozempic for weight loss have given the drug a “terrible name”.
Ozempic is a diabetes drug, but it is also sold privately for weight loss, and celebrities including Sharon Osbourne, Amy Schumer, Boy George and Heather Gay have admitted to using the drug.
Speaking about the rise in the number of celebrities using it, Dr Coatsworth claims many of the stars using Ozempic are not at the weight they should be on the drug.
He said: “I think Ozempic has gotten a terrible name now from celebrity use and obviously most celebrities are so heavy that you don’t need to use that Ozempic at all, but if you’re carrying more weight, especially a BMI over 30, it might has quite a remarkable slimming effect.
“In that sense, it’s a miracle drug. This elevates Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer, to the number one company in Denmark. That’s how nice it is.
It comes after the maker of the hit weight loss drug called on Hollywood stars to stop using Ozempic and similar drugs due to shortages.
In a strange 30-second TV ad, Eli Lilly – which makes the diet pills Mounjaro and Zepbound – urged those who are not obese to avoid diet pills.
It says they have only been tested and approved for people who are overweight or obese – who have a higher risk of other diseases such as heart disease and cancer – or who have type two diabetes.
Ozempic is diabetes drug but is also sold privately for weight loss and has gained popularity in recent years (stock image)
The ad’s caption reads: “Some people use drugs that were never meant for them. For the smaller dress or tuxedo. For a big night. For vanity.
“But that’s not the point.” People whose health is affected by obesity are the reason we are working on these drugs.
Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks also recently told CNN, “We have a perspective on how these drugs are used.
“These drugs are designed for people with serious health conditions; they weren’t invented just to make someone famous look a little better.
The blockbuster weight-loss drug, which costs about $950 a month out of pocket, has been in short supply for months amid rising demand.
The number of prescriptions written for weight loss drugs in the US has increased more than 2,000 percent since 2019, from 230,000 prescriptions in 2019.
The drugs, given by weekly injection, work by mimicking a hunger hormone in the body, making someone feel full even if they haven’t eaten recently.
Celebrities including Chelsea Handler, Elon Musk and Patti Stanger have admitted to taking Ozempic, while speculation has swirled about other stars using it.
Chelsea previously said she lost a few pounds from the drug but stopped using it after realizing it was Ozempic, saying it should be reserved for diabetics.
She said: “I don’t do it anymore. This is too irresponsible. I injected about four or five of my friends with Ozempic because I realized I didn’t want to use it because it was stupid. This is for heavy people.
Tesla CEO Elon also said he lost almost 30 lbs (13.6 kg) while on the drug, saying his transformation was due to “Starvation + Ozempic/Wegovy + no tasty food for me.”
Sharon Osbourne also revealed that she took Ozempic, but said she lost so much weight on the drug that she “had to put the weight back on.”
The 71-year-old started taking the drug last December when she weighed 142lb (64.4kg) and lost more than 45lb (20kg) on the drug, but has since dropped to 97lb (43kg).
She told Women magazine: “You can lose so much weight and it’s easy to get addicted to it, which is very dangerous.
“I couldn’t stop losing weight and now I’ve lost 42 pounds – and I can’t afford to lose any more.”
