Why was Ozempic short in the UAE, and what does it mean for people with diabetes?
The 2023–24 shortage, why people with diabetes lost out, the global picture, supply in October 2026, and what to do if your pharmacy runs out.
Written for the United Arab Emirates. Other country versions are coming.
In 2023 and 2024, people using Ozempic for weight loss pushed demand past supply, and some UAE pharmacies ran out, leaving people with diabetes short. Wegovy arrived in late 2023 partly to ease this. In October 2026, all Ozempic strengths were listed as active on Abu Dhabi’s official drug list.
Key takeaways
- In April 2023, The National reported that weight-loss demand had caused an Ozempic and Mounjaro shortage in the UAE, with some Dubai and Sharjah pharmacies completely out.1
- In May 2024, Novo Nordisk told AGBI it was "troubled" that Ozempic was short in the UAE, and said Wegovy had been launched to move non-diabetic users away from it.2
- A 2026 study found only about 27 in 100 (26.8%) of 153 UAE community pharmacies asked for a prescription before selling Ozempic for weight loss.3
- The US Food and Drug Administration declared its own semaglutide shortage resolved on 21 February 2025.4
- Abu Dhabi’s official drug list, effective 2 October 2026, shows Ozempic 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg pens as active.5
On this page
What happened to Ozempic supply in the UAE?
Demand from people using it to lose weight outran supply. In 2023, some pharmacies in Dubai and Sharjah were completely out of Ozempic, Mounjaro or both.1
- GLP‑1 medicines are prescription-only in the UAE. They should only be used under medical supervision, with a prescription from a doctor licensed in the UAE.6
- Label facts here come from the EU label (EMA), the UK label or the US label (FDA), named each time. We could not find the UAE pack leaflets online, so check the leaflet in your own pack.
- Every risk of these medicines is in Guide 5: Side effects and risks.
- This post describes labels, rules and trials. It is not a plan for your treatment, and no dose or brand guarantees any result.
- Mar–Aug 2022The US adds Wegovy (March) and Ozempic (August) to its national shortage list.4
- Apr 2023The National reports a UAE shortage driven by weight-loss demand; some pharmacies in Dubai and Sharjah are completely out.1
- Nov 2023Wegovy reaches the UAE, partly to move people without diabetes off Ozempic, according to AGBI.2
- May 2024Novo Nordisk’s UAE head tells AGBI supply “hasn’t stabilised”.2
- Feb 2025The US declares its semaglutide shortage resolved.4
- Oct 2026Ozempic 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg are all listed as active on Abu Dhabi’s official drug list.5
Wegovy, the semaglutide brand licensed for weight, launched in the UAE in November 2023. AGBI reported it was partly meant to move people without diabetes off Ozempic.2 AGBI also cited supply-chain disruption.2
By February 2026, Gulf News summed it up: off-label demand “lead to shortages and tighter controls to protect diabetic patients”.7
Why did people with diabetes lose out?
Ozempic is licensed for type 2 diabetes, but much of the demand came from people using it for weight. When stock ran low, both groups chased the same pens.8,1
Daman, Abu Dhabi’s insurer, lists Ozempic for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy for weight.9 When the shortage was first reported in 2023, Wegovy had not yet launched in the UAE; it arrived that November.1,2
Weak checks at the counter added to it. In a 2026 study, a researcher posing as a customer visited 153 pharmacies in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. They asked for Ozempic to lose weight, with no prescription. Only about 27 in 100 asked for one.3 Chain pharmacies asked more often, about 35 in 100.3
Was the shortage only in the UAE?
No. The US listed Wegovy as short from March 2022 and Ozempic from August 2022, and declared the shortage resolved in February 2025.4
The US decision covers US supply only. We found no UAE regulator notice declaring a shortage, or its end. The UAE evidence comes from news reports and from the maker’s statements.1,2
The path for people with type 2 diabetes in the UAE: which medicines, insurance cover, and what to ask your doctor.
Is Ozempic available in the UAE now?
It is registered and listed: Abu Dhabi’s drug list, effective 2 October 2026, shows Ozempic 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg pens as active.5
A listed product is not a promise that every pharmacy has it on the shelf, but we found no 2026 report of a UAE shortage. The weight-loss brands are now separate: Wegovy pens, the Wegovy pill (approved June 2026) and Mounjaro are all on the list.5,11
Official prices are fixed nationally. An Ozempic 1 mg pen, 4 weekly doses, is AED 1,146 on the list.5 See GLP‑1 prices in the UAE.
What rules protect people with diabetes now?
The main ones are the prescription rule, insurer criteria and enforcement against illegal sellers. We found no UAE circular that limits Ozempic to people with diabetes.6,9
- Insurance criteria. Daman covers GLP‑1s for diabetes only when all its tests are met. They include an HbA1c of 6.5% or more, heart disease or several heart risk factors, and 6 months on other treatment first.9
- One month at a time. Daman’s first approval is for a maximum of one month’s supply.9
- Enforcement. In July 2026 the Emirates Drug Establishment acted against 71 sources selling unapproved weight-loss products, and said none were found in licensed medicine warehouses.12
Insurance rules are covered in Does insurance cover Ozempic or Mounjaro in the UAE?.
What can you do if your pharmacy is out of Ozempic?
Call your doctor before you run out, not after. Don’t fill the gap online: Abu Dhabi has found fake Ozempic and Mounjaro sold through social media.10
- A late dose. The EU label allows a missed Ozempic dose within 5 days; after that, skip it and take the next one on your usual day.8
- Another medicine. Abu Dhabi’s list includes other GLP‑1 medicines for type 2 diabetes, such as Rybelsus tablets, Trulicity and Victoza. Switching is your doctor’s call.5,9
- A fake pack. In 2024 the Ministry of Health and Prevention warned of a counterfeit Mounjaro pack, labelled in English and Arabic; its lab could not identify tirzepatide in it.13 Report suspected fakes to its hotline, 800 11111.14
- Stopping raises blood sugar. A review found HbA1c rose 0.65 points on average after people with type 2 diabetes stopped GLP‑1 medicines in trials.15
- Low blood sugar is more likely if a GLP‑1 is combined with insulin or a sulphonylurea, so dose changes need a doctor.16
- Stomach effects are very common when a GLP‑1 is started or restarted, mostly while the dose rises.16,17
- Fake products may contain no active medicine at all.13
Questions people ask
Is there an Ozempic shortage in the UAE now?
We found no 2026 report of one. Abu Dhabi’s drug list, effective 2 October 2026, shows all four Ozempic strengths as active.5
Why was Ozempic out of stock in Dubai?
Demand from people using it for weight loss outran supply in 2023–24, and AGBI also reported supply-chain problems.1,2
Can I get Ozempic without a prescription in the UAE?
No. It is prescription-only. A 2026 study found many pharmacies sold it without one, but that breaks the rules.6,3
What happens if I miss my Ozempic dose because of a shortage?
The EU label says take it within 5 days, or skip it after that. Ask your doctor before restarting after a longer gap.8
Is Wegovy the same as Ozempic?
Same medicine, semaglutide. Daman lists Ozempic for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy for weight.9
Shorter answers: Can I buy Ozempic without a prescription in the UAE? and Ozempic price in the UAE
How we researched this
On 12 Oct 2026 we read The National’s April 2023 report (in a copy republished by a UAE hospital group), AGBI’s May 2024 report, Gulf News (Feb 2026), the 2026 pharmacy study, the US FDA’s 2025 shortage order, Daman’s cover rules, Abu Dhabi’s circulars and its drug list (effective 2 Oct 2026).
We found no UAE regulator notice declaring or ending a shortage, and no circular limiting Ozempic to people with diabetes. AGBI’s claim that Ozempic was available without a prescription is left out: it contradicts the law, and the 2026 study is the better evidence on what pharmacies did. We name no pharmacy.
Before you move on
- The 2023–24 shortage came from weight-loss demand plus supply problems.
- Ozempic is for diabetes; Wegovy, the same medicine, is the weight brand.
- All Ozempic strengths were listed as active in October 2026.
- If you can’t get your dose, call your doctor; never buy online.
More from the UAE blog
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An independent guide to GLP‑1 medicines. We don't sell medicines, take drug-company money or earn clinic commissions. Once a month: UAE approvals, official price changes, insurance rules and safety alerts. How we write
Sources
- The National. Diabetes drugs being used for weight loss leads to shortage in UAE market. April 2023. Read in a copy republished online on 26 April 2023; not linked, because that copy sits on a healthcare provider’s website.
- AGBI (Arabian Gulf Business Insight). UAE diabetics face Ozempic shortage due to weight loss users. 24 May 2024. agbi.com
- Raisan NK, Al-Tabakha MM, Ashames A. Evaluating community pharmacists' dispensing and counseling practices of semaglutide for weight loss in the United Arab Emirates: a simulated patient study. Pharmacy Practice 2026;24(1):3476. doi:10.18549/PharmPract.2026.1.3476 doi.org
- US Food and Drug Administration. Declaratory order: resolution of shortages of semaglutide injection products (Ozempic and Wegovy). 21 February 2025. US decision, about US supply. PDF fda.gov
- Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Drug master list (Drugs.xlsx), release 26 September 2026, effective 2 October 2026: "Package Price to Public" for each registered pack, in dirhams. Downloaded 12 October 2026. XLSX shafafiyaportal.doh.gov.ae
- Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Circular 48/2026, 16 March 2026: alert on fake GLP‑1 products. GLP‑1 medicines "are prescription-only medicines and should only be used under medical supervision"; unregistered products are sold online and on social media; reports to the DoH pharmacovigilance team at [email protected]. Summarised, not reproduced, as the circular asks. PDF doh.gov.ae
- Gulf News. Anti-obesity drugs Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro: are they getting cheaper? 7 February 2026. gulfnews.com
- European Medicines Agency. Ozempic (semaglutide): EU summary of product characteristics and package leaflet, sections 4.1, 4.2, 6.3, 6.4. PDF ema.europa.eu
- Daman (National Health Insurance Company). Adjudication guideline: GLP‑1 receptor agonists, version 5, effective 15 January 2023, revised 19 April 2026. PDF damaninsurance.ae
- Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Circular 10/2025, 4 February 2025, "Alert Against the Use of Counterfeit Version of Ozempic and Mounjaro" sold through social media; the public should not buy them without a prescription, online or through adverts. Summarised, not reproduced. PDF doh.gov.ae
- Khaleej Times. UAE approves Wegovy pill for weight loss, cardiovascular risk reduction. 1 June 2026. khaleejtimes.com
- Gulf News. UAE weight-loss drug crackdown: 71 sources, 14 influencers face action (Emirates Drug Establishment). 25 July 2026. gulfnews.com
- Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Circular 208/2024, 25 October 2024, relaying a Ministry of Health and Prevention alert on a counterfeit Mounjaro 15 mg/0.5 ml single-dose pen pack, labelled in English and Arabic. Summarised, not reproduced. PDF doh.gov.ae
- Department of Digital Ajman. Handling emergencies: 999 police, 998 ambulance, 997 civil defence; Ministry of Health and Prevention hotline 80011111 for fake or harmful medicines. Checked 12 October 2026. ajman.ae
- Tzang CC et al. Metabolic rebound after GLP‑1 receptor agonist discontinuation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. eClinicalMedicine 2025;90:103680. doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103680 doi.org
- European Medicines Agency. Mounjaro (tirzepatide): EU summary of product characteristics and package leaflet (EU label), sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.8, 5.1, 6.3, 6.4. PDF ema.europa.eu
- European Medicines Agency. Wegovy (semaglutide injection and tablets): EU summary of product characteristics and package leaflet, sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.8, 5.1, 6.3, 6.4. PDF ema.europa.eu
Last checked 12 Oct 2026 · Next review due 12 Apr 2027 · Report an error
How this post was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. It's general information, not medical advice. Talk to a qualified doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write