Diabetes patient says she's waiting weeks for vital medications also popular for weight loss
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Geraldine Glass said her diabetes medication has been on back order for weeks because so many people are using the drug to lose weight.
Drugs to treat diabetes have become increasingly popular because of their weight loss effects, and the products are flying off the shelves. But that's left many diabetics searching high and low for life-saving treatment.
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Glass had been waiting five weeks for her medication, Victoza, took toll on her health. Without it, her body is fatigued and in pain. Her blood sugar soared to 206.
"It's supposed to be between 80 and 120," she said. "I can't get the medication I need."
Glass said in June her pharmacy told her that Victoza was on backorder, and may not come in for weeks. The 81-year-old said she called her insurance company to try to get it delivered, but was told there was a nationwide shortage because people across the country were using it to lose weight.
"There's nothing wrong with you trying to lose weight, but let us live," she said. "We should be the first one to get the medication."
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Glass is one of many diabetics nationwide who are anxiously waiting for their medications as demand for these types of drugs continues to skyrocket.
Dr. Laura Zimmerman, chief of internal medicine at Rush University Medical Center, said policy makers and pharmaceutical manufacturers need to prioritize people who need these mediations to live. Zimmerman encounters patients almost daily who are suffering from serious complications without their treatment.
"We worry short-term about things like the patients' quality of life, they don't feel good, they can't function at their top level," she explained. "We worry about complications like eye disease, kidney disease, heart disease. The cumulative effect of uncontrolled diabetes can be devastating."
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Zimmerman said switching to a different medication is not an easy task.
"Most insurance companies cover one type of GLP-1 agonist," she said. "The process of getting a second one approved for a patient can be very cumbersome and it's time consuming."
She said the process of trying to get patients a different medication places a huge burden on their clinical teams.
"So, instead of actually taking care of patients, we're spending time doing the prior authorization paperwork, the medical necessity paperwork to get the alternative medication, which is a huge drain on our system.
She said patients like Glass may have to call around to different pharmacies to see if their medication is in stock.
ABC7 reached out to Glass's Walgreens pharmacy, and a spokesperson responded, saying in part, "Walgreens is always working with suppliers and distribution partners in an effort to help meet patient demand, and advise patients and customers to call their local Walgreens pharmacy to inquire about availability. Any additional questions about supply should be directed to the manufacturers."
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In the meantime, Glass is speaking up for others with diabetes who she said should be first in line for these mediations.
"Think about us. We need it for survival, to live," she said.
After the ABC7 I-Team reached out to Walgreens, Glass said she got a call saying they had the medication in stock at a smaller quantity, so that will help her get by for the time being.
The maker of Victoza, which also owns Ozempic and Wegovy, said the situation is unfortunate, and that the limited supply situation will continue throughout 2024. They cannot predict when they will reach full supply, but encourage patients to try other local pharmacies and speak with their health care providers to determine the best course of action.
