Top doctor slams celebrity usage of Ozempic as he claims the stars have given the weight loss drug a ‘terrible name’
A top doctor has condemned the use of Ozempic by celebrities, claiming 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 using it to lose weight.
The doctor, who specializes in infectious diseases, claimed 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 increase in the number of celebrities using it, Dr Coatsworth claimed that many of the stars who use Ozempic are not as overweight when they need the drug.
Dr. Nick Coatsworth has condemned the use of Ozempic by celebrities, claiming they are giving the weight loss drug a ‘terrible name’, as he appeared on the Today show on Friday.
He said: ‘I think Ozempic has now got a terrible name because of the use of celebrities, 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, esp. a body mass index of over 30 can have quite a remarkable weight loss effect.
‘In that sense it is a panacea. It has elevated Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer, to the number one company in Denmark. It’s that good.’
It comes after the maker of blockbuster weight loss drugs urged Hollywood stars to stop taking Ozempic and similar drugs due to shortages.
In a bizarre 30-second advert on television, Eli Lilly – which makes the weight-loss drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound – urged those who are not obese to avoid the weight-loss drugs.
It said they had only been tested and approved for people who are overweight or obese – who are at higher risk of other conditions such as heart disease and cancer – or who have type 2 diabetes.
Dr. Coatsworth claimed that many of the celebrities who use Ozempic are not as heavy when they have to use it. Sharon Osbourne is among the stars who have admitted to using it
A caption on the ad read: “Some people have taken medications that were never intended 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 medications.”
Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks also recently told CNN, “We have an opinion about the way these drugs are being used.
“These drugs were invented for people with serious health conditions; they weren’t invented to make a famous person look a little better.’
Blockbuster weight loss drugs — which cost about $950 a month out of pocket — have been in short supply for months due to rising demand.
Elon Musk recently said he lost almost 30 pounds while taking the drug, saying his transformation was due to ‘Fasting + Ozempic/Wegovy + no good food for me’
Prescriptions for weight-loss medications in the US have increased by more than 2,000 percent since 2019 – compared to 230,000 prescriptions in 2019.
The drugs, given as a weekly injection, work by mimicking a hunger hormone in the body, making a person feel full even if they haven’t eaten recently.
Celebrities including Chelsea Handler, Elon Musk and Patti Stanger have admitted to using Ozempic, amid speculation about other stars using it.
Chelsea previously said she lost a few pounds on the drug, but stopped taking it after realizing it was Ozempic, saying it should be left to diabetic patients.
She said, “I’m not into it anymore. That 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’s stupid. It’s for heavy people.’
Tesla CEO Elon also said he lost almost 30 pounds (13.6 kg) while taking the drug, saying his transformation was due to “Fasting + Ozempic/Wegovy + no good food for me.”
Chelsea Handler previously said she lost a few pounds on the drug, but stopped taking it after realizing it was Ozempic, saying it should be left to diabetic patients.
Sharon Osbourne also revealed that she used Ozempic, but said she lost so much weight on the drug that she had to “gain the weight back.”
The 71-year-old started taking the drug last December when she weighed 64.4kg and lost more than 20kg on the medication, but then her weight dropped to 43kg.
She told Women magazine: ‘You can lose so much weight and it’s easy to become 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.’