Semaglutide solutions for injection and infusion have been added to the list of medicines that cannot be exported from the UK or hoarded.
The drug was returned to the list with effect from November 17th 2022. It had initially been placed on the list in November 2020 but was removed in December 2021.
Affected products are under the Ozempic and Wegovy brands from Novo Nordisk. While Wegovy has been given market authorisation, Novo Nordisk is not yet listing the medicine on its UK website.
NICE includes Wegovy in a final appraisal document for the use of semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity, published in June 2022. Recent media reports have highlighted a global shortage in part due to celebrities raising awareness of semaglutide as a weight loss aid on social media.