Ozempic has taken over social media, sparking widespread conversation.
Ozempic is the brand name for semaglutide, a drug created by Novo Nordisk. The drug was approved for managing type two diabetes in 2017, but its mainstream popularity exploded in 2021 when clinical trials revealed its weight loss benefits.
The injectable medications quickly became popularized as a shortcut for weight loss. As its use grew increasingly widespread, controversies around celebrity use, drug shortages and ethical concerns followed.
In Hollywood, where celebrities often set beauty standards and slim figures remain ideal, celebrities quickly became the face of Ozempic.
For instance, Kim Kardashian lost 16 pounds in three weeks to fit into a Marilyn Monroe dress for the 2022 Met Gala. Kardashian’s intense weight loss sparked speculation about her use of Ozempic.
Kardashian has not been the only celebrity to face these allegations, however. Since Ozempic has hit the public eye, any celebrity that undergoes a major weight loss transformation is suspected of using Ozempic.
Ice Spice was accused of using the drug in 2024 after fans noticed a visible change in her figure.
The more celebrities speak openly about Ozempic the more normalized the accusations become.
The celebrity endorsement has also led to the drug being in high demand among the general public, primarily by those seeking to use the drug as an easy path to getting thin.
Since the demand for the drug is so high, many pharmacies are reporting shortages. And the drug, which is already costly, has become even more expensive.
This poses a major financial barrier for people who need it to manage their type two diabetes.
Speculation about celebrity use is not the only controversy. There has also been a moral debate about whether or not it is ethical to prescribe someone Ozempic for weight loss when it wasn’t clinically tested for it.
Since the 1990s, celebrities and models like Kate Moss popularized the size zero standard, reinforcing the harmful idea that thinness equals beauty.
Ozempic may cost a couple hundred dollars a month, but its more significant cost is mental health.
Using the drug can cause an unhealthy obsession with thinness, causing people to chase a body type not through fitness or lifestyle, but from an injection.
The craze also jeopardizes the physical health of people who need the drug to manage their diabetes, creating a broader issue with accessibility and well-being.
Ozempic may not be harmful in itself, but its widespread usage and popularization must be approached with caution. As more and more people jump on the Ozempic weight loss bandwagon, the cost to human well-being will only grow higher.
