Wednesday 12 October 2022 10:49 PM Elon Musk is among stars using $900 injection off-label for weight loss trends now
The right and famous are turning to the diabetes drug Ozempic as a quick-acting weight loss solution.
Everyone from Hollywood stars to tech moguls are turning to the injectable drug to stay slim.
The drug, which uses the active ingredient semaglutide, is manufactured by the Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk costs around $900 per pop.
It is injected into the stomach, thigh or arm and quickly suppresses a person's appetite - allowing them to quickly and easily lose weight.
The drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for type 2 diabetes treatment, making its use as a weight loss supplement off-label.
It costs around $950 for a month of treatment - and because it is being used off-label getting the price covered by insurance is a longshot.
It has still rocketed to popularity with celebrity dieticians reporting a surge in requests for it among their wealthy clients.
Demand for the drug has reached such heights that it type 2 diabetics that need it for treatment have had to deal with shortages.
The FDA has added the drug, and the similar Wegovy which is also manufactured by Novo, to its drug shortage list.
The injectable pre-diabetes drug Ozempic has become popular has s weight loss supplement among celebrities and wealthy elites - so much so that it is in short supply for actual pre-diabetics who need it to manage their condition
Dr Nancy Rahnama is a Beverly Hills-based nutritionist who told the Wall Street Journal that she gets calls inquiring about the drug daily.
'They specifically say, 'How much is it to get Ozempic?' she said.
The drug is not to be used this way, as it is intended to help those struggling with diabetes drop their blood sugar.
Its intense appetite suppressing properties have launched it into popularity, though.
Patti Stanger, executive producer of the reality show 'Millionaire Matchmaker' told the Journal that it 'is the Hollywood drug.'
'It's nationwide... I have friends in Miami, I have friends in New York who are doing it.'
She went so far to say that everyone she knows is using the drug.
Its prevalence among the Hollywood elite was first revealed to the world over summer, when Ozempic went viral on Tik Tok as a weight loss supplement.
There were also popular rumors that Kim Kardashian had used the drug after she revealed dropping her body fat percentage from
